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^A  R  M I N I A  N 


liCOiSISTEHCIES  AND  ERRORS; 


IN  WHICH  IT  IS  SHOWN  THAT  ALL  THE 


DISTINCTIVE   DOCTRINES   OF  THE   PRESBYTERIAN 
CONFESSION  OF  FAITH 

ARE   TAUGHT   BY 

STANDARD  WRITERS  OF  THE  METHODIST  EPISCOPAL 
TDHURCH. 


Rev.    HEi^RY   BROWN. 

II 


PHILADELPHIA : 

WILLIAM  S.  &  ALFRED  MARTIEN, 

1856. 


Entered,  according  to  Act  of  Congress,  in  the  year  1855,  by 
WILLIAM  S.  &  ALFRED  MARTIEN, 

In  the  OflBce  of  the  Clerk  of  the  District  Court  for  the  Eastern 
District  of  Pennsylvania. 


CONTENTS. 


Pa«x. 
CHAPTER  I. 

Th©  Fall  of  Man 13 

CHAPTER  II. 
Condition  of  Man  since  the  Fall 19 

CHAPTER  III. 

Justice  of  the  Sentence  passed  on  fallen  Man 27 

CHAPTER  IV. 
The  Arminian  doctrine  of  Divine  Justice 33 

CHAPTER  V. 
The  Spiritual  Death  which  made  a  part  of  the  penalty  of 
Adam's  transgression 39 

CHAPTER  VI. 
Free  agency  of  Man,  self-determining  power  of  the  will,  &c.      45 

CHAPTER  VII. 
The  Omniscience  of  God 58 

CHAPTER  VIII. 
The  Divine  Decrees 72 

CHAPTER  IX. 
The  Doctrine  of  Election 89 

CHAPTER  X.            *■ 
The  Atonement 115 


VIU  CONTENTS. 

CHAPTER  XI. 
EflFectual  Calling 130 

CHAPTER  XII. 

Objections  to  the  foregoing.  No  Scripture  can  prove  Pre- 
destination— it  leads  to  the  idea  of  infant  damnation — 
necessarily  involves  the  doctrine  of  irresistible  grace — 
makes  God  partial — destroys  Divine  Justice — makes 
God  the  author  of  sin — renders  the  gospel  unnecessary 
— destroys  free-agency  and  accountability — is  incon- 
sistent vrith  the  universal  offer  of  the  gospel — is  a  dis- 
couraging doctrine — leads  to  carelessness — tends  to 
destroy  religious  comfort — leads  to  Infidelity — repre- 
sents Christ  as  a  deceiver — tends  to  destroy  meekness, 
love,  &c. — holiness  in  general — zeal  for  good  works — 
paralyzes  the  efforts  of  benevolence — is  connected  with 
improper  views  of  Baptism 152 

CHAPTER  XIII. 
Misrepresentations 260 

CHAPTER  XIV. 
Garbled  quotations 287 

CHAPTER  XV. 
Forgeries 297 

CHAPTER  XVI. 
The  final  Perseverance  of  the  Saints 308 

CHAPTER  XVII. 
Imputed  Righteousness 354 

CHAPTER  XVIII. 
Entire  Sanctification 378 

CHAPTER  XIX. 
Wesley's  conversion  to  Arminianism 413 

CHAPTER  XX. 
Eeview  of  Foster  on  Calvinism 419 


PEE  FACE. 


A  PKEFACE  to  a  book  is  almost  universal.  As  in  a 
discourse,  so  in  the  beginning  of  a  book,  it  is  proper  to 
state  the  design  of  an  author.  This,  in  the  present 
instance,  however,  is  expressed  so  fully  by  the  title, 
and  in  the  first  chapter,  that  such  a  preface  is  unne- 
cessary. 

The  substance  of  what  is  here  published,  appeared 
originally  in  a  series  of  numbers,  in  the  Watchman 
and  OhserveVy  a  religious  newspaper  of  Richmond,  Va. 
During  the  progress  of  the  publication,  repeated  flat- 
tering notices  of  the  effort  were  given,  sometimes 
through  the  press,  sometimes  verbally,  and  sometimes 
by  private  letters ;  and,  at  the  close,  the  request  that 
it  should  be  put  into  a  more  permanent  form,  was  so 
extensive  that  the  author  did  not  feel  at  liberty  to 
decline  it.  He  has  therefore  revised,  and  somewhat 
enlarged  the  original. 

Some  apology  for  defects  may  be  found  in  the  fact, 


X  PREFACE. 

that  he  has  prosecuted  the  work  for  the  greater  part 
of  the  time,  under  much  debility,  and  amid  the  labours 
of  a  pastoral  charge  so  extensive,  that  he  was  neces- 
sarily from  home  four  days  out  of  each  week  on  an 
average,  for  more  than  eight  months  of  the  year. 

In  quoting  authorities,  he  has  taken  great  pains  to 
quote  accurately;  but  notwithstanding  the  Arminian 
authorities  from  which  most  of  the  quotations  are 
taken  are  very  common,  yet  as  the  different  editions 
are  not  uniform  in  size  and  type,  the  same  pages  of 
the  different  editions  of  the  same  works  have  not  the 
same  matter.  This  is  true  especially  of  Fisk's  "  Cal- 
vinistic  Controversy,"  "Watson's  Theological  Insti- 
tutes," and  the  "Works  of  Wesley."  The  last,  in- 
deed, have  not  always  the  same  quantity  of  matter. 
The  reader,  therefore,  who  may  desire  to  examine  the 
quotations,  may  not  always  readily  find  them.  As 
the  "  Calvinistic  Controversy"  consists  of  a  sermon 
and  fifteen  numbers,  it  is  to  these  the  references  are 
made,  instead  of  the  page.  The  edition  of  the  Works 
of  Wesley  he  quotes  (unless  otherwise  noticed,)  was 
published  in  1831. 

All  the  Arminian  authorities  to  which  reference  is 
made,  have  been  published  by  order  of  the  General 
Conference  for  the  Methodist  Episcopal  Church,  ex- 
cept the  following,  viz. 

"Southey's  Life  of  Wesley,"  "Marriage  Dinner," 


PREFACE.  XI 

and  the  "Reply  of  the  Rev.  N.  L.  Bangs  to  Has- 
kel." 

The  following,  though  not  published  by  order  of  the 
General  Conference,  have  been  endorsed  by  the  or- 
gans of  the  Methodist  Church  generally,  viz. 

"  Porter's  Compendium  of  Methodism,"  and  "Fos- 
ter's Objections  to  Calvinism." 

The  " Sermons  of  Bishop  Morris"  are  "published 
for  the  Methodist  Episcopal  Church,  at  the  Book 
Concern  in  Cincinnati."  "  Whitehead's  Life  of 
Wesley"  was  "written  at  the  request  of  Mr.  Wesley's 
executors."  The  following  extract  from  Mr.  Wesley's 
will,  shows  what  was  his  desire  on  that  subject,  viz. 

"  I  give  all  my  manuscripts  to  Thomas  Coke,  Dr. 
Whitehead,  and  Henry  Moore,  to  be  burnt  or  pub- 
lished, as  they  see  good.* 

From  the  "  Advertisement"  to  the  Biography,  we 
learn,  that  Dr.  Whitehead  was  appointed  by  said 
committee  to  write  the  book.  Of  this  biography  the 
publisher  of  the  American  edition  says  in  the  preface, 
"  This  was  the  first  written  Life  of  Wesley,  prepared 
from  authentic  documents,  and  it  is  the  only  one  which 
can  rightfully  claim  the  merit  of  impartiality."  The 
American  is  the  edition  we  quote. 

An   edition   of  "Bledsoe's   Theodicy"    has    been 

*  Ai-miman  Magazine  for  January,  1792,  page  29. 


Xll  PKEFACE. 

issued,  recently,  by  the  Publishing  Committee  of  the 
General  Conference  North,  with  unusual  commenda- 
tion by  the  organs  of  that  Church.  "  Methodism  in 
Earnest,"  though  an  individual  concern,  is  highly 
commended  also. 

The  Author. 


ARMINIAN 
INCONSISTENCIES  AND  ERRORS. 

CHAPTER  I. 

THE  FALL  OF  MAN. 

The  title  of  this  book  explains  the  design  of  the 
author.  Arminians  suppose  their  system  of  theo- 
logy, in  a  great  measure,  free  from  difficulties,  and 
especially  from  such  difficulties  as  they  attach  to  Cal- 
vinism. The  writer  undertakes  to  show,  on  the  con- 
trary, that  their  standard  authors  maintain  not  only 
all  the  distinctive  doctrines  of  Calvinism,  as  decidedly 
as  Calvinists  themselves,  but  that  sometimes  they  go 
far  beyond  them :  also  that  they  are  found  frequently 
on  two,  or  three,  or  four  sides  of  the  same  question. 

The  right  and  propriety  even,  of  free  discussion,  is 
a-draitted.  The  cause  that  will  not  bear  it,  ought  to 
be  abandoned.  The  works  to  which  we  shall  have 
occasion  to  refer,  are  before  the  public,  and  therefore, 
are  public  property.  Added  to  this,  Calvinists  com- 
plain that  these  works  do  them  great  injustice.  They 
may  therefore  be  considered  standing  enemies,  and 
every  new  edition,  a  new  assault.  Moreover,  large 
anti-Calvinistic  extracts  are  freely  circulated  in  the 
form  of  Tracts.  Surely  then,  a  return  fire  can  be 
properly  considered  nothing  more  than  fighting  in  a 
war  begun. 

To  avoid  confusion,  it  is  proper  to  premise,  that 
2 


14  •  THE  •PALL   OF   MAN. 

■whenever  we  shall  speak  of  Arminians,  we  mean  the 
Methodist  Episcopal  Church;  and  by  Arminianisra, 
the  doctrines  taught  by  standard  writers  in  that 
Church.  By  Calvinism,  we  mean  the  doctrines  con- 
tained in  the  Presbyterian  Confession  of  Faith  and 
Catechisms;  and  by  Calvinists,  we  mean  those  who 
adopt  those  standards  fully.  If  others  than  those 
here  named  shall  be  alluded  to,  it  will  appear  from 
the  connection. 

It  is  to  be  regretted  that  Arminians  have  not  a 
much  more  definite  and  extended  Confession  of  Faith. 
It  is  due  to  themselves  as  a  bond  of  union,  and  to  the 
public  generally.  He  who  expects  to  find  their  creed 
in  their  Articles  of  Religion,  will  be  disappointed; 
and  he  who  goes  to  their  standard  writers,  will  find 
them  in  conflict,  on  every  distinctive  doctrine.  Take 
for  example,  the  fall  of  man. 

That  "by  one  man  sin  entered  into  the  world"*  is 
admitted.  Could  this  have  been  prevented  without 
infringing  on  human  liberty?  Here  Arminians  are  at 
variance.  Dr.  Bangs  says,  "The  power  of  God  was 
vnquestionably  sufficient  to  have  prevented  the  first 
man  from  sinning,  had  not  infinite  wisdom  and  good- 
ness dictated  the  superior  fitness  of  creating  a  free 
responsible  agent.  To  say  that  the  power  of  God 
was  adequate  to  have  prevented  man,  as  a  free  agent, 
from  sinning,  is  a  contradiction.  In  what  does  sin 
consist?  Is  it  not  the  voluntary  transgression  of  the 
law?  If  so,  to  say  that  the  power  of  God  could  have 
prevented  man  from  sinning,  without  depriving  him 
of  his  free  agency,  is  to  say,  that  man  could  have 
been  a  free  agent,  and  not  a  free  agent  at  the  same 
time,  which  is  a  contradiction.  God  must  then,  to 
have  prevented  man  from  sinning,  have  deprived  him 
of  the  power  to  sin,  which  wquld  have  been  to  destroy 
the  peculiar  characteristic  of  man,  namely  his  respon- 

*  Rom.  V.  12. 


THE   FALL  OF   MAN.  15 

sibility.  So  that,  to  have  prevented  man  from  sin- 
ning, would  have  been  to  have  divested  him  of  that 
essential  property  of  his  nature,  by  which  alone,  he 
was  capable  of  committing  sin,  I  mean  his  free 
agency."* 

The  Rev.  Richard  Watson  says,  "  We  may  confi- 
dently say,  that  God  willed  the  contrary  of  Adam's 
offence,  and  used  all  means,  consistent  with  his  deter- 
mination to  give  and  maintain  free  agency  to  his 
creatures,  to  secure  the  accomplishment  of  his  will." 
"  He  willed  with  perfect  truth  that  man  should  not 
fall,  although  he  resolved  not  to  prevent  the  fall  by 
interfering  with  man's  freedom."  (Theological  Insti- 
tutes, Part  II.  Chap,  xxviii.)  Professor  Bledsoe  says, 
"Although  sin  exists,  we  vindicate  the  character  of 
God  on  the  ground  that  it  is  an  inherent  impossibility 
to  exclude  all  evil  from  a  moral  universe.  This  is 
the  high,  impregnable  ground  of  the  true  Christian 
Theist." 

"  The  argument  assumes  that  a  being  of  infinite 
power  could  prevent  sin,  and  cause  holiness  to  exist. 
It  assumes  that  it  is  possible,  that  it  implies  no  con- 
tradiction, to  create  an  intelligent  moral  agent,  and 
place  it  beyond  the  possibility  of  sinning.  But  this 
is  a  mistake.  Almighty  power  itself,  we  say  it  with 
the  most  profound  reverence,  cannot  create  such  a 
being,  and  place  it  beyond  the  possibility  of  sin- 
ning." 

The  opinion  which  maintains  the  opposite  of  this, 
he  calls,  "a  weak  crazy  thing" — "a  contradiction" — 
"an  impossible  conceit" — "a  little,  distorted  image 
of  human  weakness."    Theodicy,  pp.  197,  198. 

From  these  quotations  it  follows, 

1.  That  Satan  has  a  better  knack  of  managing  free 
agents  than  God. 

*  Reply  to  Haskel,  pp.  23,  24. 


16  THE   FALL   OP   MAN. 

2.  That  man  and  the  devil  are  each  an  over- 
match for  the  Almighty,  they  having  power  to  do  as 
they  please,  while  he  is  obliged  to  do  as  he  can,  when 
he  cannot  do  as  he  would.  But  could  not  God  have 
made  a  Paradise  without  the  tree  of  knowledge  of 
good  and  evil?  Could  he  not  have  excluded  the 
tempter  from  Eden,  or  have  worked  in  "  man  both  to 
will  and  to  do  of  his  good  pleasure?"  Philip,  ii.  13. 
Did  he  not,  without  destroying  the  free  agency  of 
Abimelech,  withhold  him  from  sinning  against  Abra- 
ham ?  Gen.  XX.  6.  Did  he  not,  without  infringing 
on  the  liberty  of  Esau,  prevent  him  from  killing  his 
brother  ?  Though  the  former  came  against  the  latter, 
at  the  head  of  four  hundred  men,  was  any  one  ever 
more  conscious  of  freedom  than  he,  when  he  ran  and 
fell  on  the  neck  of  Jacob  and  embraced  him  ?  Gen. 
xxxii.  6.  Was  Jehovah  mistaken  when  he  said,  "My 
counsel  shall  stand,  and  I  will  do  all  my  pleasure?" 
Isa.  xlvii.  10.  Is  it  not  true  that  "he  doeth  accord- 
ing to  his  will  in  the  army  of  heaven,  and  among  the 
inhabitants  of  the  earth,  and  none  can  stay  his  hand  ?"* 
that  "what  his  soul  desireth,  even  that  he  doeth,"f 
and  that  "he  hath  done  whatsoever  he  pleased?" 
Psalm  cxv.  3. 

But  if  God  cannot  govern  free  agents  on  earth  with- 
out destroying  their  free  agency,  can  he  govern  them 
anywhere  else?  Is  there  then  the  least  security  that 
he  may  not  yet  be  stript  of  all  his  dominions  ?  The 
Calvinistic  and  scriptural  view  of  Dr.  Adam  Clarke, 
Messrs.  Wesley  and  Watson,  though  arrayed  against 
the  Arminianism  of  Watson,  Bledsoe  and  Bangs, 
should  set  it  aside.  "All  power,"  says  Dr.  A.  Clarke, 
"must  emanate  from  God;  hence  sin  and  Satan  can 
neither  exist  nor  act  except  as  he  wills,  or  permits." 
(Clarke's  Theology,  p.  80.)     "  Though  all  hell  should 

*  Dan.  iv.  35.  f  Job  xxxiii.  13. 


THE   FALL   OF   MAN.  17 

join  together  to  hinder  the  accomplishment  of  the 
Most  High,  it  should  be  in  vain.  .  .  Such  is  his  potency, 
that  it  can  do  all  things  that  do  not  imply  absurdity 
and  contradiction.  It  can  do  anything,  in  any  way 
it  pleases,  and  when  it  pleases;  and  it  will  do  any- 
thing that  is  necessary  to  be  done,  which  ought  to  be 
done."  Ibid.  p.  71.  Mr.  Wesley  asks,  "Was  it  not 
easy  for  the  Almighty  to  have  prevented  the  fall  ?  He 
certainly  did  foresee  the  whole,  . .  and  it  was  undoubt- 
edly in  his  power  to  have  prevented  it,  for  he  hath 
all  power  in  heaven  and  on  earth.  But  it  was  known 
to  him,  at  the  same  time,  that  it  was  best  on  the 
whole,  not  to  prevent  it."* 

The  Rev.  Richard  Watson  says,  "  By  the  aid  of 
Revelation,  we  are  assured  that  benevolence  is  so 
absolutely  the  motive  and  end  of  Divine  Providence, 
that  thus  to  dispose  of  man  (viz.  place  him  in  a  state 
of  trial  on  earth)  and  consequently  permit  his  volun- 
tary fall,  is  consistent  with  (the  divine  goodness.) 
But  in  what  manner  it  is  so,  is  involved  in  obscurity. 
But  the  fact  being  established,  we  may  well  be  con- 
tent to  wait  for  the  development  of  the  great  process, 
which  shall  justify  the  ways  of  God  to  man,  without 
indulging  in  speculations,  which,  for  want  of  all  the 
facts  of  the  case  before  us,  must  always  be  to  a  great 
extent  without  foundation,  and  may  even  seriously 
mislead.  This  we  know,  that  the  entrance  of  sin  into 
the  world  has  given  occasion  for  the  tenderest  display 
of  the  divine  goodness,  in  the  gift  of  the  great  Res- 
torer, and  opened  to  all  who  avail  themselves  of  the 
blessing,  the  gate  to  glory,  honour,  immortality,  and 
eternal  Iife."f 

Such  sentiments  are, 

1.  Scriptural.  According  to  Arminianism,  man 
and  devils  reign,  and  do  their  pleasure  among  the 

*  Sermon  on  God's  love  to  fallen  man. 
f  Theological  Institutes,  Part  H.  Chap.  vi. 
2* 


18  THE  FALL   OF   MAN. 

inhabitants  of  the  earth,  and  none  can  stay  their 
hands."  But  according  to  these  sentiments  "  The 
Lord  reigneth"  *  *  *  and  though  "clouds  and 
darkness  are  round  about  him,  righteousness  and 
judgment  are  the  habitation  of  his  throne."  Psalm 
xcvii.  2.  "Whatsoever  he  pleased,  that  did  he  in 
heaven,  and  in  earth,  in  the  sea,  and  in  all  deep 
places."   Psalm  cxxxv.  6. 

2.  They  are  Calvinistic.  The  Presbyterian  Con- 
fession of  Faith  says,  Chap.  vi.  Sec.  1,  "Our  first 
parents  being  seduced  by  the  subtilty  and  temptation  of 
Satan,  sinned  in  eating  the  forbidden  fruit.  This  their 
sin,  God  was  pleased,  according  to  his  wise  and  holy 
counsel,  to  permit,  having  purposed  to  order  it  for  his 
own  glory." 

John  Knox  says,  "If  there  be  anything  which  God 
did  not  predestinate,  or  appoint,  then  lacked  he  free 
regimen.  Or  if  anything  was  ever  done,  or  yet  shall 
be  done,  in  heaven,  or  in  earth,  which  he  might  not 
have  impeded,  if  so  had  been  his  godly  pleasure,  then, 
he  is  not  omnipotent:  which  three  properties,  viz. 
wisdom,  free  regimen,  and  power  denied  to  God,  I 
pray  you,  what  rests  in  the  Godhead?"  McCrie's  Life 
of  Knox,  p.  138. 

And  now  to  crown  the  whole,  take  the  following 
from  Hymn  397  of  the  Methodist  Hymn-book. 

"Speak  to  my  •warring  passions  'Peace!' 
Say  to  my  trembling  soul  'Be  still!' 
Thy  power  my  strength,  and  fortress  is, 
For  all  things  serve  thy  sovereign  will." 

"All  things  serve  thy  sovereign  will."  Here  is 
Calvinism  to  the  core.  We  quote  from  the  book  in 
use  before  the  Church  was  divided. 


19 


CHAPTER    II. 

THE    CONDITION    OF    MAN    SINCE    THE    FALL. 

What  is  the  condition  of  man  since  the  fall  of  our 
first  parents  ?  Arminians,  in  common  with  Calvin- 
ists,  speak  of  him  as  being  under  the  condemnation 
of  the  original  offenders,  and  as  exposed  to  the  full 
penalty  of  the  original  offence.  Arminius,  as  quoted 
by  Watson,  says  "  The  whole  of  this  (the  first  sin  of 
the  first  man)  is  not  peculiar  to  our  first  parents,  but 
is  common  to  all  their  posterity,  who  at  the  time  when 
the  first  sin  was  committed  were  in  their  loins,  and 
who  afterwards  descended  from  them  in  the  natural 
mode  of  propagation.  'For  in  Adam  all  have  sin- 
ned.'* Whatever  punishment  therefore,  was  inflicted 
on  our  first  parents,  has  pervaded  all  their  posterity, 
and  still  oppresses  them :  so  that  all  are  '  by  nature 
the  children  of  wrath, 'f  obnoxious  to  condemnation, 
and  to  death  temporal  and  eternal;  and  lastly,  are 
devoid  of  that  (primeval)  righteousness,  and  holiness. 
With  which  evils  they  would  continue  oppressed  for 
ever,  unless  they  were  delivered  by  Jesus  Christ." 
(Theol.  Inst.,  Part  II.  Chap,  xviii.)  Mr.  Wesley  says, 
"I  am  fully  persuaded  that  every  man  of  the  offspring 
of  Adam,  is  very  far  gone  from  original  righteous- 
ness, and  is,  of  his  own  nature,  inclined  to  evil,  and 
that  this  corruption  of  our  nature,  in  every  person 
born  into  the  world,  deserves  God  s  wrath  and  damna- 
tion.";}; 

The  General  Conference  says  "  That  we  are  all 
born  under  the  guilt  of  Adam's  sin,  and  that  all  sin 
deserves  eternal  misery,  was  the  unanimous  sense  of 
the  ancient  church."     After  showing  that  this  is  in 

*  Rom.  V.  t  Eph.  ii.  31.  %  Works,  Vol.  V.  page  255. 


20  CONDITION    OF   MAN   SINCE   THE   FALL. 

accordance  with  the  teachings  of  the  Scriptures,  they 
say,  "It  has  been  already  proved  that  this  original 
stain  cleaves  to  every  child  of  man,  and  that  hereby 
they  are  children  of  wrath,  and  liable  to  eternal  dam- 
nation."* 

Rev.  R.  Watson  says,  "The  death  threatened  to 
Adam  we  conclude  to  have  extended  to  the  soul  of 
man,  as  well  as  to  the  body,  though  not  in  the  sense 
of  annihilation."  By  an  "appeal  to  the  Scriptures" 
he  says,  "  it  will  be  seen  that  the  opinion  of  those 
divines  who  include  in  the  penalty  attached  to  the 
original  offence,  bodily,  spiritual  and  eternal  death, 
stands  firm  on  inspired  testimony."f 

"The  next  question,"  he  says,  "is  whether  Adam 
is  to  be  considered  as  a  mere  individual,  the  conse- 
quences of  whose  misconduct  terminated  in  himself,  or 
whether  he  is  to  be  regarded  as  a  public  man  the  head 
and  representative  of  the  human  race,  who,  in  conse- 
quence of  his  fall,  have  fallen  with  him,  and  received 
direct  hurt  and  injury  in  the  very  constitution  of  their 
bodies,  and  the  moral  state  of  their  minds."  "  On 
this  point,"  he  says,  "the  testimony  of  Scripture  is 
so  explicit  that  all  attempts  to  evade  it  have  been  in 
vain."  He  then  proves  most  conclusively  by  the 
Scriptures,  that  "Adam  is  to  be  regarded  as  the  head 
and  representative  of  the  human  race,"  &c.;  after 
which  he  says,  "  The  first  consequence  of  this  imputa- 
tion (of  his  sin,)  is,  the  death  of  the  body,  to  which, 
all  his  descendants  are  made  liable,  and  that  on  ac- 
count of  the  sin  of  Adam.  '  Through  the  offence  of 
one  many  be  dead.'  "     Rom.  v.  15. 

"The  second  consequence  is  death  spiritual.  .  .  . 
This,  we  have  before  seen,  was  included  in  the  origi- 
nal threatening,  and  if  Adam  was  a  public  person,  a 

*  Doctrinal  Tracts,  pp.  246,  247,  251. 
f  Theol.  Inst.,  Part  II.  Chap,  xviii. 


CONDITION   OP  MAN  SINCE   THE  PALL.  21 

representative,  it  has  passed  on  to  his  descendants, 
■who,  in  their  natural  state,  are  said  therefore  to  be 
*dead  in  trespasses  and  sins.'" 

"  The  third  consequence  is  eternal  death — separa- 
tion from  God,  and  endless  banishment  from  his  glory 
in  a  future  state."     Ibid. 

Again  he  says,  "  Having  established  the  import  of 
the  death  threatened  as  the  penalty  of  Adam's  trans- 
gression, to  include,  corporal,  spiritual  and  eternal 
death,  and  showed  that  the  sentence  included  the 
whole  of  his  posterity,"  &c.     Ihid. 

Now  that  the  teaching  of  these  divines,  in  the 
above  quotations,  is  Calvinistic  in  the  strictest  sense, 
appears  by  comparing  it  with  the  following  quotation 
from  the  Presbyterian  Confession  of  Faith.  "Our 
first  parents  being  seduced  by  the  subtilty  and  temp- 
tation of  Satan,  sinned  in  eating  the  forbidden  fruit.  .  . 
By  this  sin  they  fell  from  their  original  righteousness 
and  communion  with  God,  and  so  became  dead  in  sin, 
and  wholly  defiled  in  all  the  faculties  and  parts  of 
soul  and  body.  They  being  the  root  of  all  mankind, 
the  guilt  of  this  sin  was  imputed,  and  the  same  death 
in  sin,  and  corrupted  nature,  conveyed  to  all  their  pos- 
terity, descending  from  them,  by  ordinary  genera- 
tion  

"Every  sin,  both  original  and  actual,  being  a  trans- 
gression of  the  righteous  law  of  God,  and  contrary 
thereunto,  doth,  in  its  own  nature,  bring  guilt  upon 
the  sinner,  whereby  he  is  bound  over  to  the  wrath  of 
God,  and  curse  of  the  law,  and  so  made  subject  to 
death,  with  all  miseries,  spiritual,  temporal,  and  eter- 
nal."    Confession  of  Faith,  Chap.  vi. 

We  will  show  next,  that  Methodists  contradict 
flatly  as  Pelagians,  what  they  have  here  taught  as 
Calvinists.  Mr.  Wesley  says,  "  In  consideration  of 
this,  that  the  Son  of  God  hath  tasted  death  for  every 
man,  God  hath  now  reconciled  the  world  unto  himself, 


22  CONDITION   OF   MAN   SINCE   THE   FALL. 

not  imputing  to  them  former  trespasses."  (Sermon 
on  Justification  by  Faith.)  "  That  text,  as  by  one 
man's  disobedience  many  were  made  sinners,  so  by  the 
obedience  of  one  shall  many  be  made  righteous,  means, 
By  the  merits  of  Christ,  all  men  are  cleared  from  the 
guilt  of  Adam's  sin."     Works,  Vol.  V.  page  196. 

The  Rev.  R.  Watson  says,  "  The  false  assumption 
that  the  whole  race  were  personally,  and  individually, 
in  consequence  of  Adam's  fall,  absolutely  liable  to 
eternal  death,  is  easy  to  be  refuted,  on  the  clearest 
authority  of  Scripture,  while  not  a  passage  can  be 
adduced,  which  sanctions  any  such  doctrine.*  "  On  no 
scriptural  principle,  is  the  human  race  liable  to  per- 
sonal, and  conscious  eternal  death  for  the  sin  of 
Adam."t 

Dr.  Fisk  and  the  General  Conference  say,  "  Through 
the  grace  of  the  gospel,  all  are  born  free  from  con- 
demnation."! Again  they  say,  "The  merits  of  the 
atonement  are  so  far  available  for  and  in  behalf  of 
the  whole  human  family,  that,  the  guilt  of  depravity 
is  not  imputed  to  the  subject  of  it,  until  by  intelligent 
volition,  he  makes  the  guilt  his  own,  by  resisting  and 
rejecting  the  grace  of  the  gospel" — that  "being  by 
grace  in  a  justified  state,  the  dying  infant  is  entitled 
to  all  the  blessings  of  the  new  covenant"  § — that  "a 
remedy  is  provided  which  meets  the  exigencies  of 
man's  moral  condition  at  the  very  commencement  of 
his  being" — that  "it  does  this  by  preventing  the 
imputation  of  guilt  until  man  is  capable  of  an  intelli- 
gent survey  of  his  moral  conditon"  || — that  "sin  may 
certainly  exist,  when  it  would  not  be  just  to  impute 
it  to  the  sinner,"  &c.  ** 

Dr.  Bond,  editor  of  the  Christian  Advocate  and 
Journal^  says,  Man  is  not  "responsible  for  his  ori- 

*  Theological  Institutes,  Part  II.  Chap,  xxviii.       f  Ibid. 

X  Calvinistic  Controversy,  the  Discourse.  g  Ibid.  No.  xi. 

I  Ibid.  **  Ibid.  No.  xii. 


CONDITION   OF   MAN   SINCE   THE   PALL.  23 

ginal  depravity  or  liable  to  punishment  on  account  of 
his  connate  evil  propensities,  because  he  bad  no  per- 
sonal agency  in  producing  it,  and  had  no  ability  to 
prevent  it" — that  "all  this  is  washed  away  by  the 
great  atonement,  so  that  every  child  born  into  the 
world  is  cleansed  by  the  blood  of  Christ,  and  in  a  state 
of  acceptance  with  God"* 

We  were  before  told,  that  "  the  death  threatened  to 
Adam  extended  to  the  soul  as  well  as  to  the  body, 
and  included  in  the  penalty  attached  to  the  first 
offence,  death  bodily,  spiritual  and  eternal" — that 
our  first  parents  "stood  before  their  Maker,  as  public 
persons,  and  as  the  legal  representatives  of  their 
descendants,"  and  "  that  the  sentence  (pronounced 
upon  them)  included  the  whole  of  their  posterity" — 
that  consequently  "we are  all  born  under  the  penalty 
of  Adam's  sin,  and  that  all  sin  deserves  eternal 
misery" — "that  the  whole  race  are  obnoxious  to  the 
guilt  and  punishment  of  Adam's  transgression" — 
"that  this  original  stain  cleaves  to  every  child  of 
man,  and  that  thereby  they  are  children  of  wrath,  and 
liable  to  eternal  damnation." 

We  are  now  told  however,  that  "  by  the  merits  of 
Christ,  all  men  are  cleared  from  the  guilt  of  Adam's 
actual  sin" — that  "in  consideration  of  this,  that  the 
Son  of  God  hath  tasted  death  for  every  man,  God 
hath  reconciled  the  world  unto  himself,  not  imputing 
to  them  former  trespasses" — that  "the  false  assump- 
tion that  the  whole  race  were  personally  and  individ- 
ually, in  consequence  of  Adam's  fall,  absolutely  liable 
to  eternal  death,  is  easy  to  be  refuted  on  the  clearest 
authority  of  Scripture,  while  not  a  passage  can  be 
adduced  which  sanctions  any  such  doctrine" — that 
"through  the  grace  of  the  gospel  all  are  born  free 
from  condemnation" — that  "the  merits  of  the  atone- 

*  Christian  AdTOcate  and  Journal  for  June  16th,  1853. 


24  CONDITION   OP   MAN   SINCE   THE   FALL. 

ment  are  so  available  for,  and  in  behalf  of  the  whole 
human  family,  that  the  guilt  of  depravity  is  not 
imputed  to  the  subject  of  it,  until  by  intelligent  volition 
he  makes  the  guilt  his  own,  by  resisting  and  rejecting 
the  grace  of  the  gospel" — that  "being  by  grace  in  a 
justified  state,  the  dying  infant  is  entitled  to  all  the 
promised  blessings  of  the  new  covenant" — that  "a 
remedy  is  provided,  which  meets  the  exigencies  of 
man's  moral  condition  at  the  very  commencement  of 
his  being,  by  graciously  preventing  the  imputation  of 
guilt  until  man  is  capable  of  an  intelligent  survey  of 
his  moral  condition ;"  and  that  "sin  may  certainly 
exist  where  it  would  not  be  just  to  impute  it  to  the 
sinner."* 

Parallel  lines  are  not  more  opposite  than  the  above 
statements.  Of  the  two,  the  former  has  been  shown 
to  be  Calvinistic  and  scriptural,  but  the  latter  Pela- 
gian and  anti-scriptural.  The  former  is  therefore 
true,  while  the  latter  is  false.    But  let  us  see  how  these 

*It  may  not  be  amiss,  to  hear  what  Dr.  Fisk  says  of  Pelagian- 
ism.  "It  has,"  says  he,  "a  variety  of  shades,  called  Pelagian, 
Semi-pelagian  &c.  Its  varieties  however,  relate  to'some  minor 
modifications  of  the  relation  of  the  liuman  family  to  Adam,  natu- 
ral evil,  the  death  of  the  body  and  greater  exposure  to  temptation. 
But  there  is  a  uniformity  in  the  essential  part  of  the  theory,  which 
is  that  human  nature  is  free  from  guilt  or  sin,  until  it  becomes 
guilty  by  intelligent  voluntary  exercise."  (Calvinistic  Controversy, 
No.  xi.) 

From  this,  it  will  be  seen,  that,  Messrs.  Wesley,  Watson,  Fisk, 
and  the  General  Conference,  were  Pelagians.  Dr.  Fisk,  it  is  true, 
immediately  states  his  objections  to  Pelagianism  as  "  in  direct  oppo- 
sition to  the  Scripture  doctrine  of  human  depravity" — the  "moral 
character  of  infants" — ^"the  Scripture  doctrine  of  regeneration,"  &c. 
Mr.  Wesley  however,  endorses  it  fully:  "I  would  not  affirm,"  sayshe, 
"that  the  arch-heretic  of  the  fifth  century  (as  plentifully  as  he  has 
been  bespattered  for  many  ages)  was  not  one  of  the  holiest  men  of 
that  age,"  ***«'!  verily  believe  the  real  heresy  of  Pela- 
gius  was  neither  more  or  less  than  this :  The  holding  that  Chris- 
tians may  by  the  grace  of  God  (not  without  it,  that  I  take  to  be  a 
mere  slander)  go  on  to  perfection;  or  in  other  words,  fulfil  the  law 
of  Christ."     (Sermon  on  the  Wisdom  of  God's  counsels.) 


CONDITION   OF   MAN    SINCE   THE   FALL.  25 

same  divines  refute  their  own  false  theology.  Mr. 
Wesley  in  his  Review  of  Taylor  on  Original  Sin,  says, 
"If  no  other  (than  our  first  parents)  was  justly  pun- 
ishable, then  no  other  was  punished  for  that  trans- 
gression. But  all  were  punished  for  it  with  death, 
therefore  all  were  justly  punished  for  it."  Again  he 
says,  "  God  does  not  look  upon  infants  as  innocent, 
but  as  involved  in  the  guilt  of  Adam's  sin;  otherwise, 
death,  the  punishment  of  sin,  could  not  be  inflicted  on 
them."     Works,  Vol.  V.  pp.  526,  577. 

Mr.  Watson  says,  "It  has  been  fully  established 
that  the  full  penalty  of  Adam's  offence  passed  upon 
his  posterity.  A  full  provision  to  meet  the  case  is 
indeed  made  in  the  gospel,  but  that  does  not  affect 
the  state  in  which  men  are  born."*  "As  to  infants, 
they  are  not  born  justified,  and  regenerate,  so  that  to 
say,  original  sin  is  taken  away  as  to  infants,  is  not  a 
correct  view  of  the  case."t  "For  there  is  no  more 
reason  to  conclude,  that  those  children  who  die  in  in- 
fancy, were  born  with  a  purer  nature  than  they  who 
live  to  manhood;  and  the  fact  of  their  being  born  lia- 
ble to  death,  a  part  of  the  penalty,  shows  that  they 
were  born  under  the  whole  malediction. "J 

This  reasoning  is  conclusive.  But  while  it  over- 
throws the  Pelagianism  of  these  divines,  it  establishes 
their  Calvinism. 

But,  says  the  Rev.  R.  Watson,  "Before  any  issue 
proceeded  from  the  first  pair,  they  were  restored  to 
the  divine  favour.  Had  no  method  of  forgiveness  and 
restoration  been  established  with  respect  to  human 
offenders,  the  penalty  of  death  must  have  been  forth- 
with executed  upon  them  .  .  and  with  and  in  them, 
the  human  race  must  have  utterly  perished."§ 

Dr.  Fisk  says,  "We  believe  that  by  Adam's  unne- 
cessitated  sin,  he,  and  in  him,  all  his  posterity,  became 

*  Theological  Institutes,  Part  II.  Chap,  xviii.  f  Ibid. 

X  Ibid.  2  Theol.  Institutes,  Part  II.  Chap.  xix. 

3 


28  CONDITION   OP   MAN   SINCE   THE   FALL. 

obnoxious  to  the  curse  of  the  divine  law.  As  the 
first  man  sinned  personally  and  actively,  he  was  per- 
sonally condemned  ;  but  as  his  posterity  had  no  agency 
or  personal  existence,  they  could  only  have  perished 
seminally  in  him.  By  the  promise  of  a  Saviour  how- 
ever, our  federal  head  was  restored  to  the  possibility 
of  obtaining  salvation  through  faith  in  the  Redeemer, 
and  in  this  restoration  all  the  seminal  generations 
of  men  were  included."  (Calvinistic  Controversy,  the 
Sermon.) 

Here  then  we  are  taught,  that  but  for  the  plan  of  sal- 
vation through  Christ,  our  first  parents,  and  with  them, 
all  their  posterity  would  "have  been  forthwith  cut 
off,  by  the  infliction  of  death,  the  penalty  of  their  sin  ; 
but  that  on  account  of  that  interposition,  this  penalty 
was  suspended."  For  a  complete  refutation  of  the 
idea  that  such  consequences  would  have  followed  im- 
mediately, but  for  that  interposition,  see  Edwards  on 
"Original  Sin,"  Part  II.  Chap.  iii.  Sec.  1.  As  to 
the  actual  infliction  of  the  penalty,  take  the  following 
from  Wesley. 

Speaking  of  Adam  after  he  had  sinned,  he  says, 
"  He  lost  the  life  of  God ;  he  was  separated  from  him 
in  union  with  whom  his  spiritual  life  consisted.  The 
body  dies  when  it  is  separated  from  the  soul,  the  soul 
when  it  is  separated  from  God.  But  this  separation 
from  God,  Adam  sustained  in  the  day,  in  the  hour  he 
ate  the  forbidden  fruit."  "And  in  Adam  all  died, 
all  human  kind,  all  the  children  of  men  that  were 
then  in  Adam's  loins.  The  natural  consequence  of 
this  is,  that  every  one  descended  from  him  comes  into 
the  world  spiritually  dead,  dead  to  God,  wholly  dead 
in  sin,  entirely  void  of  the  life  of  God,  void  of  the 
image  of  God,  of  all  that  righteousness,  and  holiness, 
wherein  Adam  was  created."  (Sermon  on  the  New 
Birth.) 


27 


CHAPTER  III. 

JUSTICB  OF  THE  SENTENCE  PASSED  ON  FALLEN  MAN. 

Was  it  just  in  God,  to  impute  the  sin  of  our  first 
parents,  and  the  penalty  annexed  thereto,  to  their 
posterity?  The  General  Conference  says,  "We  are 
all  born  under  the  guilt  of  Adam's  sin,  and  all  sin 
deserves  eternal  misery" — that  "this  original  stain 
cleaves  to  every  child  of  man,  and  that  hereby,  they 
are  children  of  wrath,  and  liable  to  eternal  dam- 
nation.* 

Mr.  Wesley  says,  "  We  receive  whatever  blessings 
we  enjoy  since  the  fall,  from  the  least  drop  of  water 
that  cools  our  tongue,  to  the  immense  riches  of  glory 
in  eternity,  of  grace,  not  of  debt."t  "It  was  of  mere 
grace,  of  free  love,  and  undeserved  mercy  in  God, 
that  he  hath  vouchsafed  to  fallen  man  any  way  of 
reconciliation  with  himself.''^ 

The  Rev.  R.  Watson  says,  "Man  having  forfeited 
good  of  every  kind,  and  even  life  itself,  by  his  trans- 
gression, all  that  remains  to  him  more  than  evil  in 
the  natural  world,  as  well  as  all  spiritual  blessings 
put  within  his  reach  by  the  gospel,  are  to  be  con- 
sidered as  the  fruits  of  the  death  of  Christ,  and 
ought  to  be  gratefully  acknowledged  as  such" — that 
"  we  enjoy  nothing  in  our  own  right,  and  receive  all 
at  the  hands  of  the  divine  mercy."§  Again  he 
says,  "  The  justice  of  this  is  objected  to,  a  point 
which  will  be  immediately  considered,  but  it  is  now 
sufficient  to  say,  that  if  the  making  the  descendants 
of  Adam  liable  to  eternal  death  because  of  his  offence 

*  Doctrinal  Tracts,  pp.  246,  251. 

f  Sermon  on  Justification  by  Faith. 

j  Sermon  on  the  Righteousness  of  Faith. 

§  Theological  Institutes,  Part  II.  Chap,  xiiii. 


28  JUSTICE   OP   THE   SENTENCE 

be  unjust,  the  infliction  of  temporal  punishment  is 
unjust  also,  the  duration  of  the  punishment  making 
no  difference  in  the  simple  question  of  justice.  If 
then,  we  only  confine  the  hurt  we  receive  from  Adam 
to  bodily  death ;  if  this  legal  result  of  his  transgres- 
sion only  be  imputed  to  us,  and  we  are  so  constituted 
sinners  as  to  become  liable  to  it,  we  are  in  precisely 
the  same  difficulty  as  to  the  equity  of  the  proceeding, 
as  when  the  legal  result  is  extended  further.  The 
only  way  out  of  this  dilemma,  is  that  adopted  by  Dr. 
Taylor,  viz.  to  consider  death,  not  as  a  punishment, 
but  as  a  blessing,  which  involves  the  absurdity  of 
making  Deity  threaten  a  benefit,  as  a  penalty  for  an 
offence."* 

Dr.  risk  and  the  General  Conference  say,  "The 
foundation  for  the  plan  of  salvation  of  sinners,  was 
the  goodness  and  unmerited  love  of  God" — that 
*'  there  was  nothing  in  all  the  character  and  circum- 
stances of  the  fallen  family,  except  their  sin,  and 
deserved  misery,  that  could  claim  the  interposition  of 
God's  saving  power."  That  "it  was  pure,  unmerited 
love,  that  moved  God  to  provide  salvation  for  our 
■world.f 

Thus  far  all  is  clear,  strictly  Calvinistic  and  scrip- 
tural. Adam,  the  federal  head  and  representative  of 
his  race,  involved  himself  and  his  posterity  by  his 
disobedience,  in  the  threatened  ruin.  "By  the  of- 
fence of  one,  judgment  came  upon  all  men  to  con- 
demnation," Rom.  V.  18.  The  act  of  the  represen- 
tative binds,  benefits,  or  injures  the  represented 
equally  with  himself.  Although  the  latter  are  guilty 
in  no  other  sense  than  in  their  equal  liability  with  the 
former,  to  suffer  the  consequences  of  his  sins:|   and 

*  Theological  Institutes,  Part  II.  Chap,  xviii. 

f  Calvinistic  Controversy,  the  Sermon. 

j  The  idea  attached  to  the  word  "  guilty,"  by  the  Westminster 
Divines,  when  they  say  the  posterity  of  Adam  are  "guilty  of  his 
first  sin,"  is,  that  they  are  liable  to  the  penalty  of  that  sin. 


PASSED   ON   FALLEN   BIAJI.  »  29; 

are  meritorious  in  the  sense  only,  of  uliiawrng  equally 
with  him  the  blessings  he  procures.  The  American 
people  at  large  share  equally  with  their  representa- 
tives in  1776,  in  the  declaration  of  our  independence. 
And  they  would  have  shared  with  them  in  the  guilt — 
that  is,  in  their  liability  to  the  Consequences,  if  that 
declaration  had  proved  a  failure.  This  position  is  so 
clear,  and  the  argument  by  which  it  is  sustained  so 
conclusive,  that  no  one  who  reads  it,  could  suppose  an 
opposite  view  would  be  advanced  by  those  who  have 
advocated  it.  An  opposite  view,  however,  they  do 
advance. 

Thus,  Mr.  Wesley  and  the  General  Conference,  in 
answer  to  the  reply,  "  God  might  justly  pass  by  all 
men,"  ask,  "Are  you  sure  he  might?  Where  is  it 
written?"  and  say,  they  "cannot  find  it  in  the  word 
of  God,"  and  therefore  reject  it  as  "a  bold,  precarious 
assertion,  utterly  unsupported  by  holy  Scripture."* 

Again,  when  one  is  represented  as  saying,  "he 
knows  in  his  own  conscience,  God  might  justly  have 
passed  by  him,"  they  "deny  it."t 

Here  we  can  hardly  credit  our  own  senses.  They 
had  said  before,  "We  are  all  born  under  the  guilt  of 
Adam's  sin,  and  all  sin  deserves  eternal  misery" — 
that  "it  was  of  mere  grace,  of  free  love,  and  unde- 
served mercy,  that  God  hath  vouchsafed  to  fallen 
man  any  way  of  reconciliation  with  himself" — that 
"there  was  nothing  in  all  the  circumstances  of  the 
fallen  family,  but  their  guilt  and  deserved  misery, 
that  could  claim  the  interposition  of  God's  saving 
power,"  so  that  "they  receive  whatsoever  blessings 
they  enjoy  since  the  fall,  from  the  least  drop  of  water, 
that  cools  our  tongues,  to  the  immense  riches  of  glory 
in  eternity,  of  grace  not  of  debt,"  &c.  Now  how- 
ever, they  reject  all  this  as  "  bold  precarious  asser- 

*  Doctrinal  Tracts  pp.  26,  27.  f  Ibid. 

3* 


30  JUSTICE   OP  THE   SENTENCE. 

tions,  unsupported  by  Scripture,"  and  say  distinctly 
God  was  in  justice  bound  to  provide  salvation  for  the 
fallen. 

On  the  Arminian  side  of  this  question,  Mr.  Watson 
is  equally  sensitive.  Thus,  after  referring  to  the 
evils  that  come  upon  the  human  family,  in  conse- 
quence of  the  sin  of  Adam,  and  after  referring  to  the 
benefits  received  through  Christ,  he  says,  "In  all  this, 
it  is  impossible  to  impeach  the  equity  of  the  divine 
proceeding,  since  no  man  sufi"ers  any  loss  or  injury 
ultimately,  by  the  sin  of  Adam,  but  by  his  own  wilful 
obstinacy ;  the  abounding  grace  by  Christ  Jesus 
having  placed  before  all  men  upon  their  believing,  not 
merely  compensation  for  the  sin  of  Adam,  but  infi- 
nitely higher  blessings,  both  in  kind  and  degree,  than 
were  forfeited  in  him.  As  to  adults  then,  the  objec- 
tion taken  from  divine  justice  is  unsupported." 

He  then  assigns  his  reasons  for  believing  that  those 
dying  in  infancy  are  saved,  and  says,  "  The  injustice 
alleged  as  implicated  in  the  doctrine  of  original  sin, 
when  considered  in  its  whole  and  scriptural  view, 
entirely  vanishes."* 

Mr.  Watson  here  teaches  that  the  imputation  of 
the  sin  of  Adam  to  his  posterity  would  be  unjust, 
were  it  not  for  the  salvation  provided  through  Christ, 
and  ofiered  for  their  acceptance.  He  comes  out  much 
more  boldly,  however,  when  he  treats  of  the  doctrine  of 
Election.  "  In  whatever  light  the  subject  may  be  view- 
ed, (he  says,)  no  fault  in  any  right  construction,  can  be 
charged  upon  the  persons  so  punished,  or  as  we  may 
rather  say,  destroyed;  since  punishment  supposes  a 
judicial  proceeding  which  this  shuts  out.  For  either 
the  reprobate  are  destroyed  for  a  pure  reason  of 
sovereignty,  without  any  reference  to  their  sinfulness, 
and  thus  criminality  is  left  out  of  consideration;  or 

*  Theological  Institutes,  Part  II.  Chap,  xviii. 


PASSED   ON   FALLEN    MAN.  31 

they  are  destroyed  for  the  sin  of  Adam  to  which  they 
•were  not  consenting,  or  for  personal  faults  resulting 
from  a  corruption  of  nature,  which  they  brought  into 
the  world  with  them,  and  which  God  wills  not  to  cor- 
rect, and  they  have  no  power  to  correct  themselves. 
Every  received  notion  of  justice  is  thus  violated."* 

This  truly  is  very  little  like  Mr.  Watson  when  he 
says,  "  Man  having  forfeited  good  of  every  kind,  and 
even  life  itself,  we  enjoy  nothing  of  our  own  right, 
and  receive  all  at  the  hands  of  the  divine  mercy" — 
that  "if  making  the  descendants  of  Adam  liable  to 
eternal  death,  because  of  his  offence,  be  unjust,  the 
infliction  of  temporal  punishment  is  unjust  also;  the 
duration  of  the  punishment  making  no  difference  in 
the  simple  question  of  justice" — that  "  if  we  only 
confine  the  hurt  we  receive  from  Adam  to  bodily  death ; 
if  this  legal  result  of  his  transgression  only  be  imputed 
to  us,  and  we  are  so  constituted  sinners  as  to  become 
liable  for  it,  we  are  in  precisely  the  same  difficulty  as 
to  the  equity  of  the  proceeding,  as  when  the  legal 
result  is  extended  further,"  &c.  When  Mr.  Watson 
wrote  thus,  he  was  for  the  time  being  a  Calvinist ;  but 
having  turned  Arminian,  he  contends  that  it  would 
be  a  violation  of  every  received  notion  of  justice  for 
God  to  leave  any  of  the  human  family  without  a  Sa- 
viour, and  without  giving  them  such  assistance  as  will 
enable  them  to  correct  the  corruption  of  their  natures. 
Of  course  then  the  provisions  of  the  gospel  are  of 
debt,  not  of  grace;  of  justice,  not  of  mercy.  Mercy 
is  favour  shown  to  the  guilty,  grace  is  favour  shown 
to  the  undeserving.  If  then  the  provisions,  that  have 
been  made  for  the  fallen,  are  of  debt  and  justice, 
Arminians  have  no  business  with  the  terms  "grace" 
and  "mercy"  when  speaking  on  that  subject. 

Observe,  Mr.  Watson  not  only  admits,  but  asserts 

*  Theological  Institutes,  Part  II.  Chap.  xxv. 


32  JUSTICE   OF   THE   SENTENCE,   &C. 

that  God  did  impute  the  sin  of  Adam  to  his  posterity, 
and  that  the  legitimate  consequences  of  that  imputa- 
tion are  bodily,  spiritual,  and  eternal  death;  and  he 
proves  that  the  sentence  is  just.  And  yet  he  after- 
wards contends,  that  it  would  be  unjust  if  they  were 
left  to  suffer  these  consequences.  Most  certainly, 
then,  the  imputation  itself  which  exposes  them  to 
undeserved  suffering,  is  unjust  also.  Nor  is  the  diffi- 
culty at  all  removed  by  the  fact,  that  God  offers 
them  an  opportunity  of  salvation  through  Christ. 
An  unjust  act  cannot  be  made  just  by  another  act 
intended  to  compensate  for  the  injustice.  A  father 
might  intentionally  infect  his  children  with  small- 
pox, and  then  provide  a  remedy.  But  while  they  all 
suffer,  half  of  them  might  be  so  affected  by  the 
disease  as  to  neglect  the  remedy,  and  die.  ISow,  it 
would  be  mockery,  to  say  that  "  in  all  this  it  is  impos- 
sible to  impeach  the  equity  of  the  proceeding,  since 
none  of  them  suffer  ultimately  by  the  parent's  sin,  but 
by  their  own  wilful  obstinacy,  the  abounding  grace 
of  the  parents  having  placed  before  them  all  better 
health  upon  their  receiving  the  remedy." 

But  we  need  not  pursue  this  subject  further. 
Watson  the  Calvinist  gives  such  an  overwhelming 
reply  to  Watson  the  Arminian,  and  his  Arminiau 
brethren,  that  we  will  permit  him  to  close  this  chap- 
ter. 

The  Apostle  Paul  says,  "By  the  offence  of  one, 
judgment  came  upon  all  men  to  condemnation." 
Rom.  V.  18.  Now,  says  Watson,  "  If  it  were  right 
to  attach  that  penalty  to  offence,  it  is  most  certainly 
righteous  to  execute  it."  (Theological  Institutes,  Part 
II.  Chap,  xix.)  This  is  conclusive.  He  who  is  not 
convinced  by  it  could  not  be  convinced  by  argu- 
ment. 


33 


CHAPTER  IV. 

THE    ARMINIAN   DOCTEINE    OF   DIVINE    JUSTICE. 

Having  disposed  of  what  Arminians  say  of  the  jus- 
tice of  God,  in  reference  to  the  sentence  passed  upon 
man  for  his  sin  in  Paradise,  we  will  notice  next,  their 
very  strange  idea  of  what  divine  justice  is.  As  the 
Rev.  Richard  Watson  very  concisely  states  the  opin- 
ion of  his  brethren  generally,  on  this  subject,  we  will 
content  ourselves  with  three  quotations  from  him. 

"We  may  be  bold"  (says  he)  "to  affirm,  that  jus- 
tice and  equity  in  God,  are  what  they  are  taken  to 
be  among  reasonable  men."  Theol.  Institutes,  Part 
11.  Chap.  xxvi. 

"  By  the  established  notions  of  justice  and  equity 
in  human  affairs,  we  are  taught  by  the  Scriptures 
themselves,  to  judge  of  the  divine  proceedings,  in  all 
completely  stated  and  comprehensible  cases."    Ihid. 

Again,  speaking  of  "  the  scheme  of  predestination, 
as  exhibited  by  Calvin,"  he  says,  "  It  is  remarkable 
that  the  answers  which  he  is  compelled  to  give  to 
objections,  did  not  unfold  to  this  great  and  acute 
man  its  utter  contrariety  to  the  testimony  of  God, 
and  to  all  the  established  notions  of  equity  among 
men."     Ihid.  Chap,  xxviii. 

Here  then,  we  are  taught  that  justice  and  injustice 
with  God  are  what  they  are  with  men,  and  that  "  we 
are  so  to  judge  of  them,  in  all  completely  stated 
and  comprehensible  cases."  Accordingly,  with  this 
class  of  writers,  such  expressions  as  the  following,  in 
reference  to  Deity,  are  very  common,  viz.  "It  is 
manifestly  contrary  to  his  justice."*     "It  is  surely 

*  Theological  Institutes,  Part  II.  Chap.  xxvi. 


34  THE   ARMINIAN   DOCTRINE 

not  possible  for  the  ingenuity  of  man  to  reconcile 
this  to  any  notion  of  just  government  that  has  ever 
obtained."*  "It  flatly  contradicts,  indeed  utterly 
overthrows  the  Scripture  account  of  the  justice  of 
God."f  "0  strange  justice!  What  picture  do  you 
draw  of  the  judge  of  all  the  earth."|  "You  repre- 
sent God  as  worse  than  the  devil,  more  false,  more 
cruel,  more  unjust."§  "If  this  doctrine  be  true, 
there  is  neither  justice  nor  goodness  in  God."||  &c. 
If  the  reader  desires  to  see  a  perfect  hurricane' of 
such  expressions,  he  isrefered  to  "  Foster's  Objections 
to  Calvinism."  That  writer,  after  misrepresenting 
every  distinctive  doctrine  of  the  Calvinists,  assaults 
his  own  misrepresentations  with  as  much  fury  as  Don 
Quixotte  did  the  windmill.     But  to  return. 

The  Rev.  R.  Watson  is  so  sensitive  in  reference  to 
divine  justice,  that  he  begins  to  defend  it,  even  be- 
fore he  comes  to  man.  Thus,  speaking  of  "  an  objec- 
tion taken  to  the  justice  of  the  sentence  pronounced 
on  the  serpent,"  he  says,  "  If  special  pain  and  suffer- 
ings had  been  inflicted  upon  the  serpent,  there  would 
have  been  a  semblance  of  plausibility  in  the  objec- 
tion ;  but  the  serpent  suffered  as  to  liability  to  pain 
and  death,  no  more  than  other  animals,  and  was  not 
therefore  any  more  than  another  creature,  a  respon- 
sible offender."** 

But  "  special  pain  and  suffering  have  been  inflicted 
on  the  serpent."  And  "  as  to  liability  to  pain  and 
death,"  it  does  "suffer  more  than  other  animals." 
So  true  is  this,  that  an  exterminating  war  is  carried 
on  against  the  whole  race  of  snakes.  Mr.  Watson 
indeed  admits  this  when,  a  little  further  on  in  the 
same  chapter,  he  speaks  of  "the  enmity  and  abhor- 

'*  Theological  Institutes,  Part  II.  Chap.  xxvi. 
f  Doctrinal  Tracts,  page  32.    X  It)icl.  page  33.    §  Ibid,  page  171. 
II  Objections  to  Calvinism,  page  206. 
**  Theological  Institutes,  Part  II.  Chap,  xviii. 


OP  DIVINE   JUSTICE.  SO 

rence  we  have  of  the  serpent."  But  if  Mr.  Watson 
is  so  sensitive  about  alleged  injustice  in  reference  to 
snakes,  we  could  hardly  expect  him  to  be  less  so 
about  injustice  in  reference  to  man.  Accordingly, 
when  speaking  of  the  "  innocent  suffering  equally 
with  the  guilty,  in  general  calamities,"  he  says, 
"  The  persons  so  suffering  are  but  comparatively 
innocent,  and  their  personal  trangressions  against 
God  deserve  a  higher  punishment  than  any  which 
this  life  witnesses;"  but  "this  may  be  overruled  for 
merciful  purposes,  and  a  future  life  presents  its  mani- 
fold compensations."* 

To  this  we  reply,  that  while  it  is  difficult  to  con- 
ceive how  the  "punishment"  of  being  swallowed  up 
in  a  "general  calamity,"  such  as  an  earthquake,  or 
shipwreck,  could  "be  overruled  to  merciful  pur- 
poses" to  the  sufferers,  Mr.  Watson  makes  no  allu- 
sion to  infants.  But  these,  though  "innocent"  as  to 
"personal  transgressions,"  suffer  "in  general  calami- 
ties," in  common  with  adults.  The  truth  is,  the  case 
of  infants  presents  a  difficulty  utterly  irreconcilable 
with  what  he  says  of  the  justice  of  God. 

Mr.  Wesley  appears  to  have  been  about  as  sensi- 
tive on  this  subject  as  Mr.  Watson.  Thus,  speaking 
of  darkness  in  believers,  he  says,  "For  God  to  with- 
draw himself  from  the  soul,  because  it  is  his  sove- 
reign will,  is  inconsistent  both  with  his  justice  and 
mercy."f 

From  this  it  would  appear  that  some,  at  least,  of 
the  divine  favours  are  of  debt,  not  of  grace ;  of  justice, 
not  of  mercy.  It  is  true  that  in  another  place,  he 
speaks  of  men,  as  "poor,  guilty,  sinful  worms,  who 
receive  whatever  blessings  they  enjoy,  from  the  least 
drop  of  water  that  cools  our  tongues,  to  the  immense 

*  Tlieojogical  Institutes,  Part  II.  Chap.  xxvi. 

f  Sermon  on  "  Heaviness  thi-ough  manifold  temptations." 


36  THE  ARMINIAN   DOCTRINE 

riches  of  glory  in  eternity,  of  grace,  not  of  debt,"*  but 
he  spoke  then  as  a  Calvinist. 

Again,  Mr.  Wesley,  and  the  General  Conference, 
after  stating  several  points  in  which  the  sovereignty 
of  God  appears,  say,  "But  in  disposing  of  the  eternal 
states  of  men, ...  it  is  clear  that  not  sovereignty  only 
but  justice,  mercy  and  truth,  hold  the  reins."t 

But  do  not  "justice,  truth  and  mercy,  hold  the 
reins"  in  disposing  of  the  temporal  states  of  men? 
The  Arminian  notion  that  they  do  not,  is  blasphemy. 
Dr.  Fisk  and  the  General  Conference  say,  "As  a 
sovereign,  God  has  a  right  to  make  his  creatures  dif- 
fer in  these  things,  (spiritual  advantages,)  so  long  as 
he  requires  only  as  he  gives  ;  but  this  differs  as  widely 
from  the  Calvinistic  idea  of  sovereignty,  as  justice  from 
injustice,  as  equity  from  iniquity." J 

From  this  it  appears,  that  filthy  motes  of  fallen 
earth  do  sit  in  judgment  on  their  Maker.  John  Knox 
has  truly  said,  "  The  foundation  of  this  their  damnable 
error  is,  that  in  God,  they  acknowledge  no  justice  ex- 
cept that  which  their  foolish  brain  is  able  to  compre- 
hend."§ 

Against  the  position  that  "justice  and  equity  in 
God,  are  what  they  are  taken  to  be  among  reasonable 
men,"  we  enter  our  protest.  Abraham  did  not  think 
so,  or  he  would  not,  at  God's  command,  have  raised 
the  knife  to  slay  his  son.  Perhaps,  if  he  had  read 
Watson's  Institutes,  he  might  have  thought  differently. 
The  man  who,  under  ordinary  circumstances,  wilfully 
kills  another,  is  a  murderer.  And  so  would  he  be 
who,  under  ordinary  circumstances,  would,  (if  it  were 
possible,)  bring  on  a  plague,  sink  a  ship,  or  engulph  a 
city.  God,  however,  in  these  and  various  ways,  wil- 
fully kills  about  thirty  millions  every  year.     Accord- 

*  Sermon  on  Justification  by  Faith. 
f  Doctrinal  Tracts,  page  57. 
i  Calvinistic  Controversy,  the  Sermon. 
^  McCrie's  Life  of  Knox,  page  188. 


OP  DIVINE  JUSTICE.  37 

ing  to  Arminians,  therefore  he  is  the  most  merciless, 
wholesale,  and  criminal  of  all  murderers.  For  one 
man  to  enter  the  dwelling  of  another  and  wilfully  kill 
a  child,  would  be  awful  wickedness.  But  though  this 
is  often  done  by  God,  there  is  a  heartfelt  acquies- 
cense.  "It  is  the  Lord,  let  Jdm  do  what  seemeth  to 
him  good."  "Though  he  slay  me,  yet  will  I  trust 
him."  "Clouds  and  darkness  are  round  about  him, 
righteousness  and  judgment  are  the  habitation  of  his 
throne."  It  is  with  real  pleasure  therefore  that  we 
find  these  wild  theologians  turn  Calvinists  and  teach 
a  better  theology.  Mr.  Wesley  says,  "  It  is  true  wis- 
dom, it  is  a  mark  of  a  sound  mind,  to  acquiesce  in 
whatever  God  hath  chosen ;  to  say  in  all  things,  *  It  is 
the  Lord,  let  him  do  what  seemeth  him  good.'*  It 
does  not  become  poor  sinful  worms  ...  to  ask  God 
the  reason  of  his  conduct.  It  is  not  meet  for  us  to 
call  him  in  question  who  giveth  to  none  account  of  his 
ways."* 

"  How  little  do  we  understand  of  his  providential 
dealings,  either  with  regard  to  nations,  or  families,  or 
individuals !  There  are  heights,  and  depths  in  all 
these,  which  our  understanding  can  in  no  wise  fathom. 
We  can  comprehend  but  a  small  part  of  his  ways  now, 
the  rest  we  shall  know  hereafter."! 

Dr.  Fisk  and  the  General  Conference  say,  "  There 
is  indeed  something  of  mystery  hanging  over  the 
providence  of  God,  in  bestowing  peculiar  advantages 
on  some,  and  withholding  them  from  others."§ 

Mr.  Watson,  speaking  of  the  sovereignty  of  God, 
in  the  spread  of  the  gospel,  says,  "  We  call  this 
sovereignty  *  *  because  the  reasons,  whether  they 
are  reasons  of  judgment,  or  wisdom,  or  mercy,  are 

*  Sermon  on  the  Righteousness  of  Faith. 

f  Sermon  on  Justification  by  Faith. 

X  Sermon  on  the  Imperfection  of  Human  Knowledge. 

§  Oalvinistic  Controversy,  the  Sermon. 

4 


38  "     ARMINIAN   DOCTRINE   OF   DIVINE   JUSTICE. 

hidden  from  us,  either  that  we  have  no  immediate 
interest  in  them,  or  that  they  are  too  deep  and  ample 
for  our  comprehension,  or  because  it  is  an  im- 
portant lesson  for  men  to  be  taught  to  bow  with 
reverent  submission  to  his  regal  prerogatives."  Again 
he  says,  "  We  cannot  be  judges  of  a  nature  in- 
finite in  perfection,  nor  of  proceedings  which  in 
the  unlimited  range  of  the  government  of  God  may 
have  connections  and  bearings  beyond  our  compre- 
hension."* 

Such  sentiments  are  not  only  Calvinistic,  but  scrip- 
tural. According  to  them,  "  God's  judgments  are  a 
great  deep,"  and  ''his  way  is  in  the  sea,"  &c.t 
*'  He  maketh  darkness  his  secret  place,  and  his 
pavilion  round  about  him  are  dark  waters,  and  thick 
clouds  of  the  skies."|  "  He  giveth  not  account  of  any 
of  his  matters,"§  and  "it  is  his  glory  to  conceal  a 
thing."||  "He  is  a  rock,  his  way  is  perfect,  for  all 
his  ways  are  judgment,  a  God  of  truth,  and  without 
iniquity,  just  and  right  is  he."**  "  As  the  heavens  are 
higher  than  the  earth,  so  are  his  ways  higher  than 
our  ways,  and  his  thoughts  than  our  thoughts,"§§  &c. 

Having  seen  how  anti-scriptural  these  theologians 
are  when  they  speak  as  Arminians,  and  how  scrip- 
tural they  are  when  they  speak  as  Calvinists,  we  will 
permit  Job  to  conclude  the  chapter. 

"Is  it  fit  to  say  to  a  king,  Thou  art  wicked,  and  to 
princes,  Ye  are  ungodly  ?  How  much  less  to  him 
that  accepteth  not  the  persons  of  princes,  nor  re- 
gardeth  the  rich  more  than  the  poor,  for  they  are  all 
the  work  of  his  hands  !"     Job  xxxiv.  18,  19. 

*  Theological  Institutes,  Part  II.  Chap.  iv.  and  xxvi. 
f  Psalm  xxxvi.  6,  Ixxvii.  19.  %  Ps^-'^^n^  xviii.  11. 

§  Job  xxxiii.  13.  ||  Prov.  xxv.  2. 

**  Deut.  xxxii.  4.  ^§  Isaiah  Iv.  9. 


39 


CHAPTER    V. 

the  spieitual  beath  which  made  a  part  of  the  penalty  of 
Adam's  transqbkssion. 

Are  men  born,  and  do  they  continue  in  that  state 
of  spiritual  death  which  was  induced  by  the  fall,  until 
regenerated  by  the  Holy  Spirit?  On  this  point  the 
Calvinist  affirms,  while  the  Arminian  denies.  For 
the  sake  of  a  more  striking  contrast,  we  will  consider 
the  latter  first. 

Mr.  Wesley  says,  "  God  did  not  despise  the  work 
of  his  own  hands,  but  being  reconciled  to  man  through 
the  Son  of  his  love,  he  in  some  measure,  reinscribed 
his  law  on  the  heart  of  his  dark  sinful  creature."* 

The  Fourth  Methodist  Conference  in  England, 
speaking  of  "  the  obedience  and  death  of  Christ,"  say, 
"The  souls  of  all  men  receive  (thereby)  a  capacity  of 
spiritual  life,  and  an  actual  spark  thereof."t 

Mr.  Wesley  and  the  General  Conference  "grant,  it 
is  impossible  men  should  leap  at  once  to  the  middle, 
much  less  to  the  highest  round  (of  the  mysterious 
ladder  of  truth);"  but,  they  contend,  that  "if  the 
foot  of  it  is  upon  earth,  in  the  very  nature  of  things, 
the  lowest  step  is  within  their  reach.  And  by  laying 
hold  of  it,  they  may  go  on  from  faith  to  faith,  till 
they  stand  firm  even,  in  the  Christian  faith,  if  distin- 
guishing grace  has  elected  them  to  have  the  Christian 
gospel."  t 

Again  they  say,  "  We  believe  that  in  the  moment 
Adam  fell,  he  had  no  freedom  of  will  left,  but  God, 
when  of  his  free  grace,  he  gave  the  promise  of  a  Sa- 

*  Sermon  on  the  Original  Nature  and  Use  of  the  Law. 
f  Whitehead's  Life  of  Wesley,  page  135. 
X  Doctrinal  Tracts,  page  240. 


40  TALLEN   MEN   SPIRITUALLY  DEAD 

viour  to  him  and  his  posterity,  graciously  restored  to 
mankind  a  liberty  and  power  to  accept  of  proffered 
salvation.* 

Dr.  Fisk  says,  "Even  the  power  of  the  will  to 
choose  life,  and  the  conditions  of  life,  is  a  gracious 
power.  A  fallen  man,  without  grace,  could  no  more 
choose  to  submit  to  God  than  a  fallen  angel. "f  "The 
atonement,  if  it  is  not  a  remedy  for  man's  extreme 
depravity,  it  is  no  provision  for  him.  If  it  does  not 
give  a  gracious  power  to  all  sinners  to  embrace  salva- 
tion, it  has  accomplished  nothing  for  the  depraved 
reprobate."! 

From  these  quotations  it  appears,  that  one  doctrine 
of  the  Methodist  Church  is,  that  in  the  moment  Adam 
fell,  he  lost  all  spiritual  light  and  understanding,  and 
even  his  moral  feeling — "had  no  freedom  of  will 
left" — was  "utterly  unsalvable."  "But  that  when 
God  gave  the  promise  of  a  Saviour,  he  restored  to 
mankind  a  liberty  and  power  to  accept  of  salvation." 
This  then  is  one  doctrine  on  this  subject;  take 
another. 

The  General  Conference,  speaking  of  the  interposi- 
tion of  Christ  says,  "He  is  the  true  light  that  en- 
lighteneth  every  man  that  cometh  into  the  world,  and 
this  light  would  work  out  the  salvation  of  all,  if  not 
resisted.  Nor  is  it  less  universal  than  inbred  sin, 
being  the  purchase  of  his  death,  who  tasted  death  for 
every  man.  'For  as  in  Adam  all  die,  even  so,  in 
Christ  shall  all  be  made  alive.'  "§ 

Here  then  we  have  a  perfect  system  of  passive  do- 
nothing.     Before,  it  was  "a  liberty  and  power"  only, 

*  Doctrinal  Tracts,  page  154. 

f  Calvinistic  Controversy,  the  Sermon. 

X  Ibid. 

I  Doctrinal  Tracts,  page  95.  Here  we  have  1  Cor.  xv.  22,  which 
refers  to  the  resurrection  of  the  body,  pressed  out  of  its  meaning  to 
sustain  an  Armiuiau  error. 


UNTIL   REGENERATED.  4l 

"to  choose  life  and  the  conditions  of  life,"  and  "to 
accept  of  salvation."  But  now,  it  is  "a  measure  of 
light  and  grace,  which  if  not  resisted  would  work  out 
the  salvation  of  all."  This  then  is  a  second  doctrine 
on  this  subject.     We  will  notice  a  third. 

We  have  already  seen  the  condition  into  which  the 
human  family  were  plunged  by  the  sin  of  our  first 
parents,  and  the  reinstatement,  consequent  upon  the 
interposition  of  Christ,  for  which  Arminians  contend. 
We  have  seen,  also,  that  Mr.  Watson  takes  a  different 
view,  and  proves  "that  the  full  penalty  of  Adam's 
offence  past  upon  his  posterity,  and  that  although  full 
provision  to  meet  the  case  is  made  in  the  gospel,  that 
does  not  affect  the  state  in  which  we  are  born." 

Again  he  says,  "The  true  Arminian,  as  fully  as  the 
Calvinist,  admits  the  doctrine  of  the  total  depravity 
of  human  nature  in  consequence  of  the  fall  of  our  first 
parents,  .  .  .  (and)  maintains  the  total  incapacity  of 
unassisted  human  nature  to  produce  (certain  good 
dispositions,  and  occasional  religious  inclinations,  in 
those  who  never  give  any  evidence  of  their  actual 
conversion  to  God)  and  attributes  them  to  that  divine 
and  gracious  influence  which,  if  not  resisted,  would 
lead  to  conversion."* 

Again  he  says,  "  There  is  that  operation  of  the 
Spirit  by  which  men  are  put  into  a  capacity  to  repent 
when  they  hear  the  word.  If  that  were  not  the  case, 
how  then  should  God  judge  the  world  for  not  believ- 
ing in  Christ?  Wherever  the  gospel  is  preached,  it  is 
not  only  preached  with  the  influences  of  the  Spirit, 
but  the  same  Spirit  is  given  to  prepare  men  to  receive 
the  message.  And  where  the  message  is  not  received, 
there  is  a  resistance  of  the  Holy  Ghost.  This  con- 
stitutes the  guilt  of  impenitent  men.  'Ye  will  not 
come   to   me  that  ye  might  have  life.'     They  had 

*  Theological  Institutes,  Part  II.  Chapter  xviii. 


42  FALLEN    MEN   SPIRITUALLY   DEAD 

received  those  gracious  influences  "which  gave  them 
the  moral  power,  hut  they  would  not  come  to  him. 
They  resisted  the  Spirit  in  their  hearts — the  quick- 
ening, convincing  Spirit,  as  well  as  that  same  Spirit 
in  the  word."* 

Again  he  says,  "  By  the  gift  of  Christ,  and  as  an 
immediate  consequence  of  religious  doctrine,  we  re- 
ceive the  gift  of  conscience Where  there  is 

no  truth  there  is  no  conscience ;  men  are  asleep ;  in 
their  sins  they  are  dead,  and  society  all  around  them 
is  corrupt.  Such  was  the  state  of  the  heathen 
world,  "t 

The  difference  hetween  Mr.  Watson  and  his  hrethren 
is,  that  the  same  influence  which  they  say  is  extended, 
through  the  interposition  of  Christ  to  the  whole 
human  family,  he  says,  is  limited  to  those  who  hear 
the  gospel.  This  then  is  a  third,  or  as  we  may  say, 
a  triangle  of  doctrines  in  the  same  Church,  on  the 
same  subject.  It  will  therefore  be  a  relief  to  the 
reader  to  turn  from  this  Arminian  jargon,  to  the  Cal- 
vinistic  and  scriptural  view  of  these  divines,  though 
it  makes  the  triangle  a  four-sided  figure. 

Mr.  Wesley  says,  "  I  am  fully  persuaded  that  every 
man  of  the  offspring  of  Adam  is  very  far  gone  from 
original  righteousness,  and  is,  of  his  own  nature,  in- 
clined to  evil."     Works,  Vol.  v.  page  255. 

The  General  Conference  say,  "  Original  sin  standeth 
not  in  the  following  of  Adam  (as  the  Pelagians  do 
vainly  talk)  but  it  is  the  corruption  of  every  man  that 
naturally  is  engendered  of  the  offspring  of  Adam, 
whereby  man  is  very  far  gone  from  original  righteous- 
ness, and  of  his  own  nature  inclined  to  evil,  and  that 
continually."     Doctrine  and  Discipline,  Article  YII. 

*  Sermon  on  the  Ascension. 

f  Sermon  on  "The  unspeakable  gift  of  Christ."  Here  Mr.  Wat- 
son says  the  heathen  have  no  conscience,  while  Paul  says  they 
have.     See  Rom.  ii.  14,  15. 


UNTIL   REGENERATED.  48 

In  these  quotations  we  are  taught  that  "  the  nature 
of  every  man  is  corrupted,  inclined  to  evil,  and  very  far 
gone  from  original  righteousness."  How  much  it  is 
corrupted,  and  how  far  man  is  gone  from  original 
righteousness,  we  will  now  see. 

Mr.  Wesley,  speaking  of  the  effects  of  Adam's  sin, 
says,  "  Every  one  born  into  the  world,  now  bears  the 
image  of  the  devil,  in  pride  and  self-will,  the  image  of 
the  beast  in  sensual  appetites  and  desires.  This  then 
is  the  foundation  of  the  new  birth,  the  entire  corrup- 
tion of  our  nature."* 

Again,  addressing  the  sinner,  he  says,  "Know  thy- 
self to  be  a  sinner,  and  what  manner  of  sinner  thou 
art.  Know  that  corruption  of  thy  inmost  nature, 
whereby  thou  art  very  far  gone  from  original  right- 
eousness, whereby  the  flesh  lusteth  always  contrary  to 
the  Spirit,  through  that  carnal  mind  which  is  enmity 
against  God,  which  is  not  subject  to  the  law  of  God, 
neither  indeed  can  be.  Know  that  thou  art  corrupted 
in  every  power,  in  every  faculty  of  thy  soul ;  that  thou 
art  totally  corrupted  in  every  one  of  these,  all  the 
foundations  being  out  of  course.  The  eyes  of  thine  un- 
derstanding are  darkened,  so  that  they  cannot  discern 
God  or  the  things  of  God.  The  clouds  of  ignorance 
and  error  rest  upon  thee,  and  cover  thee  with  the 
shadow  of  death.  Thou  knowest  nothing  yet  as 
thou  oughtest  to  know,  neither  God,  nor  the  world, 
nor  thyself.  Thy  will  is  no  longer  the  will  of  God, 
but  is  utterly  perverse  and  distorted,  averse  from  all 
good,  from  all  which  God  loves,  and  prone  to  all  evil, 
to  every  abomination  which  God  hateth.  Thy  affec- 
tions are  all  alienated  from  God  and  scattered  abroad 
over  all  the  earth.  All  thy  passions,  both  thy  desires 
and  diversions,  thy  joys  and  sorrows,  thy  hopes  and 
fears  are  out  of  favour,  are  either  undue  in  their  de- 
gree, or  placed  on  undue  objects.     So  that  there  is 

*  Sermon  on  the  New  Birth. 


44  FALLEN  MEN  SPIRITUALLY  DEAD. 

no  soundness  in  thy  soul,  but  from  the  crown  of  thy 
head  to  the  sole  of  thy  foot,  there  are  only  wounds 
and  bruises,  and  putrefying  sores.  Such  is  the  inbred 
corruption  of  thy  heart,  of  thy  very  inmost  nature."* 

The  Rev.  R.  Watson,  speaking  of  the  death  of  the 
"  soul  in  a  moral  sense,"  says,  "  It  consists  in  a  sepa- 
ration from  communion  with  God,  and  is  manifested 
by  the  dominion  of  earthly,  corrupt  dispositions  *and 
habits,  and  an  entire  indiflference  or  aversion  to  spiri- 
tual and  heavenly  things.  This  too  (he  continues)  is 
represented  as  the  state  of  all  who  are  not  quickened 
by  the  instrumentality  of  the  gospel,  employed  for 
the  purpose  by  the  power  and  agency  of  the  divine 
Author.  '  And  you  hath  he  quickened  who  were  dead 
in  trespasses  and  in  sins.'  The  state  of  the  regene- 
rate mind  is,  in  accordance  with  this,  represented  as 
a  resurrection,  and  passing  from  death  unto  life."f 

Evidently  then,  it  is  a  doctrine  of  the  Methodist 
Church,  that  Adam  by  his  disobedience  involved  his 
posterity,  equally  with  himself,  in  spiritual  death; 
that  in  this  state  they  are  born,  and  in  this  state  they 
continue,  until  regenerated  by  the  Holy  Spirit.  But 
this  is  Calvinism,  and  makes  the  triangle  a  four-sided 
figure. 

Now,  as  Mr.  Wesley,  in  his  Review  of  Dr.  Taylor 
on  Original  Sin,  has  shown  this  last  side  to  be  scrip- 
tural; and  as  Mr.  Watson  has  "established  it  that  the 
full  penalty  of  Adam's  offence  passed  upon  his  pos- 
terity," so  that  "they  are  born  under  the  whole  male- 
diction," although  any  two  sides  of  a  triangle  are 
greater  than  a  third  side,  in  mathematics,  it  follows 
that  one  side  of  a  four-sided  figure  may  be  greater 
than  three  sides,  in  theology. 

*  Sermon  on  the  Way  to  the  Kingdom.  The  same  doctrine  is 
taught  by  Mr.  Wesley  in  his  sermon  on  "  The  Way  of  Salvation," 
"  Tlie  Righteousness  of  Faith,"  "The  Privilege  of  those  born  of  God," 
&c.  f  Theological  Institutes,  Part  II.  Chap,  xviii. 


45 


CHAPTER   VI. 

THE    FREE    AGENCY    OF    MAN,    SELF-nETERMINING    POWER    OF    THE 
WILL,    ETC. 

That  man  is  a  free  and  accountable  agent,  is  be- 
lieved by  botb  Calvinists  and  Arminians.  They,  at 
the  same  time  however,  alternately  charge  each  other 
with  error  and  inconsistency  on  this  subject.  How 
far  either  party  may  be  obnoxious  to  the  charge,  the 
reader  must  judge.  At  all  events,  their  views  are 
widely  different.     Arminians  contend, 

1.  That  our  first  parents,  by  their  disobedience, 
plunged  themselves  and  their  posterity  into  a  state  of 
spiritual  irapotency  and  irresponsibility,  and  that  free 
agency  and  accountability  were  graciously  restored. 
Mr.  Wesley  says,  "God  being  reconciled  to  man 
through  the  Son  of  his  love,  in  some  measure  rein- 
scribed  his  law  on  the  heart  of  his  dark  sinful 
creature."* 

The  General  Conference  says,  "We  believe  that  in 
the  moment  Adam  fell  he  had  no  freedom  left,  but 
that  God,  when  of  his  own  free  grace,  he  gave  the  - 
promise  of  a  Saviour  to  him  and  his  posterity,  gra- 
ciously restored  to  mankind  a  liberty  and  power  to 
accept  of  proffered  salvation."f  "Natural  free-will 
in  the  present  state  of  man  (we)  do  not  understand. 
(We)  only  assert  that  there  is  a  measure  of  free  will, 
supernaturally  restored  to  every  man,  together  with 
that  supernatural  light  which  enlighteneth  every  man 
that  Cometh  into  the  world. "J 

Dr.  Fisk  says,   "Even  the  power  of  the  will  to 

*  Sermon  on  the  Original  nature,  properties,  and  uses  of  the 
Law. 
f  Doctrinal  Tracts,  page  154.  J  Ibid,  page  47. 


46  AEMINIAN  FREE  AGENCY 

choose  life,  and  the  conditions  of  life,  is  a  gracious 
power."*  "The  Arminian  ground  maintains  consti- 
tutional depravity,  and  salvation  by  grace,  from  the 
foundation  to  the  top-stone,  including  of  course,  a 
gracious  ability  to  choose  life  and  gain  heaven. "f 
"Arminians  believe  that  grace  may  and  does  restore 
the  power  to  choose  God  before  regeneration."! 

Dr.  Adam  Clarke,  speaking  of  man  after  the  fall, 
says,  "  He  appears  to  have  lost  all  spiritual  light  and 
understanding,  and  even  his  moral  feeling."  And 
"as  they  (Adam  and  Eve)  were,  so  would  have  been 
all  their  posterity,  had  not  some  gracious  principle 
been  restored  to  enlighten  their  minds,  to  give  them 
some  knowledge  of  good  and  evil,  of  right  and  wrong, 
virtue  and  vice."§ 

To  this  we  reply:  If  God  has  "in  some  measure" 
only  reinscribed  his  law  on  the  heart  of  man,  if  he 
has  "  supernaturally  restored  to  every  man  a  mea- 
sure" only  "of  free  will  and  light,"  it  follows,  that 
man  is  in  "a  measure"  only,  a  free  agent.  This 
then  is  one  Arminian  doctrine  on  this  subject.  Take 
another: 

Dr.  Fisk  tells  us  that  "A  moral  agent  to  be  free, 
must  be  possessed  of  a  self-determining  principle" — 
that  if  you  "  make  the  will  anything  short  of  this, 
you  put  the  whole  moral  man  under  foreign  and  irre- 
sistible influences. "II  Of  course,  then,  if  the  non-pos- 
session of  such  a  principle  will  "put  the  whole  moral 
man  under  such  influences,"  the  possession  of  it  will 
put  him  from  under  them;  or,  in  other  words,  will 
make  "a  moral  agent  to  be  free." 

That  such  is  his  meaning  appears  from  what  is  said 
again.    "  Herein  we  differ  widely  from  the  Calvinists. 


*  Calvinistic  Controversy,  the  Sermon.  f  Ibid.  No.  X. 

X  Ibid.  §  Clarke's  Theology,  page  104. 

II  Calvinistic  Controversy,  the  Sermon. 


AND  ACCOrNTABILITT.  47 

They  tell  us,  man  has  a  natural  power  to  choose  life. 
If  so,  he  has  power  to  get  to  heaven  without  grace."* 

A  second  Arminian  doctrine  then  is,  that,  through 
the  interposition  of  Christ,  man  "is  possessed  of  a 
self-determining  principle."  And  if  so,  he  has  been 
restored  entirely  to  free  agency.  And  if  so,  "  he  has 
power  to  choose  life."  And  if  so,  "  he  has  power  to 
get  to  heaven."  Of  course  then  he  needs  no  more 
grace;  and  if  he  needs  no  more  grace,  he  needs  no 
more  prayer. 

In  connection  with  the  foregoing,  it  is  contended 
that  a  self-determining  power  of  the  will  is  essential 
to  accountability. 

"  Man's  obedience  or  disobedience,  if  it  has  any 
just  relations  to  rewards  and  punishments,  must,  in 
its  responsible  character,  rest  upon  the  self-determin- 
ing principle  of  the  will."t  "  He  has  within  himself 
a  self-determining  principle,  in  the  exercise  of  which 
he  becomes  responsible."!  "  The  mind  may  be  free 
to  act  in  one  direction,  yet  it  may  have  so  utterly  lost 
its  moral  equilibrium  as  to  be  utterly  incapable,  of  its 
own  nature,  to  act  in  an  opposite  direction,  and  there- 
fore, not  in  the  full  and  responsible  sense,  a  free 
agent.  *****  The  understanding  may  be  darkened, 
the  conscience  may  be  seared  or  polluted,  the  will, 
that  is  the  power  of  willing,  may,  to  all  good  purposes, 
be  enthralled,  and  this  is  what  we  aflfirm  to  be  the 
true  state  and  condition  of  unaided  human  nature."§ 
"The  simple  question  is,  has  fallen  man  on  the  whole 
the  power  to  make  a  right  choice,  or  has  he  not  ?  We 
say,  without  grace  he  has  not,  and  therefore  fallen 
man  is  not,  in  the  responsible  sense  of  that  term,  a 
free  agent  without  grace."||  "If  it  be  asked  whether 
disinclination  can  ever  be  so  strong  as  to  destroy  the 

*  Calvinistic  Controversy,  the  Sermon.  f  Ibid. 

t  Ibid.  ^  Ibid.  No.  X.  ||  Ibid. 


48  ARMINIAN   FREE  AGENCY 

freedom  of  the  will  to  act  in  one  particular  direction, 
I  answer,  most  unhesitatingly,  Yes;  and  if  that  dis- 
inclination is  either  created  or  derived,  and  not  the 
result  of  an  antecedent  choice,  the  possessor  is  not 
morally  obligated  to  act  in  opposition  to  it,  unless  he 
receives  foreign  aid  to  help  his  infirmities,  and  to 
strengthen  him  for  a  contrary  choice."* 

The  Rev.  R,  Watson  says:  "  It  is  not  denied  that 
the  will  in  its  purely  natural  state,  and  independent 
of  all  grace,  can  incline  only  to  evil."  And  he  con- 
tends, that  under  this  "invincible  depravity,"  and 
"born  with  this  moral  disease,"  he  is  not  "punish- 
able."t 

To  this  we  reply :  1st.  That  if  this  be  true,  it  fol- 
lows, that  the  fall  of  our  first  parents,  inasmuch 
as  it  brought  man  into  a  state  in  which  to  sin,  and 
consequently  to  suffer  for  sin,  was  impossible,  instead 
of  being  an  evil,  would,  if  let  alone,  have  been  an  in- 
conceivable blessing.  It  follows,  2d.  That  the  death 
of  Christ,  inasmuch  as  it  restored  man  to  the  only 
condition  in  which  to  sin,  and  consequently  to  suffer, 
was  possible,  instead  of  being  a  blessing  at  all,  is  an 
inconceivable  curse.  The  sin  of  Adam,  therefore, 
raised  our  nature  high,  even  to  a  state  of  sinless  per- 
fection, while  the  death  of  Christ  reduced  that  nature 
low.  The  former  introduced  holiness,  immortality, 
and  eternal  life,  while  the  latter  introduced  sin,  and 
death,  temporal,  spiritual,  and  eternal.  And  so  says 
Mr.  Wesley;  "Mankind  in  general  have  gained  by 
the  fall  of  Adam,  a  capacity  of  attaining  more  holi- 
ness and  happiness  on  earth  than  it  would  have  been 
possible  for  them  to  attain  if  Adam  had  not  fallen." 
"  How  little  reason  (therefore)  have  we  to  repine  at 
the  fall  of  our  first  parents,  since  herefrom  we  may 


*  Calvinistic  Controversy,  No.  X. 

f  Theological  Institutes,  Part  II.  Chap,  xxviii. 


AND   ACCOUNTABILITY.  4ff 

derive  such  unspeakable  advantages,  both  in  time  and 
in  eternity."* 

It  is  true  our  Saviour  said,  "  God  so  loved  the  world 
that  he  gave  his  only  begotten  Son,"t  &c.,  but  accord- 
ing to  Arminians  this  should  read,  God  so  hated  the 
world,  &c.  It  is  true  again,  the  apostle  John  says, 
that  "grace  and  truth  came  by  Jesus  Christ ;"|  but, 
according  to  Arminians,  hatred,  wrath,  and  ruin  came. 
It  is  true  further,  that  at  the  birth  of  Christ  a  mul- 
titude of  the  heavenly  host  praised  God,  saying, 
"Glory  to  God  in  the  highest,  and  on  earth,  peace, 
good  will  to  man."§  But,  according  to  Arminians, 
this  should  have  been.  Wo !  wo !  wo !  to  the  inhabit- 
ants of  the  world,  for  the  great  day  of  his  wrath  is 
come. 

"Earth  felt  the  wound  (when  Christ  was  born,)  and  Nature,     t 
From  her  seat,  sighing  through  all  her  works, 
Gave  signs  of  wo,  that  all  was  lost." 

Such  are  the  necessary  consequences,  if  Arminian- 
ism  be  true.  And  yet  Arminians  say :  "  The  gospel 
plan,  with  all  its  provisions  and  conditions,  is  of  grace." 
That  "  there  is  not  a  step  in  that  whole  system  but 
rests  on  grace,  is  presented  by  grace,  and  executed 
through  grace."||  Then  truly,  in  the  language  of  Dr. 
Fisk,  "  The  gospel  privileges  with  which  men  are 
mocked,  if  they  can  be  termed  grace  at  all,  must  be 
called  damning  grace."^  Or,  in  the  language  of 
Mr.  Wesley,  "  God  never  loved  the  world,  according 
to  this  doctrine,  but  rather  hated  it  greatly,  in  send- 
ing his  Son  to  be  crucified  for  it.** 

It  is  true,  that  according  to  Dr.  Clarke,  "  God  has 

*  Sermon  on  God's  Love  to  fallen  Man.  +  John  iii.  16. 

t  John  i.  17.  I  Luke  ii.  14,  15. 

II  Calvinistic  Controversy,  the  Sermon.  ^  Ibid. 
**  Doctrinal  Tracts,  page  101. 

5 


60  AUMINIAN  FREE  AGENCY 

inspired  man  with  a  desire  to  be  saved,  and  this  alone 
places  him  in  a  salvable  state."*  For,  "had  man 
been  left  just  as  he  was  when  he  fell  from  God,  he 
would  have  been  utterly  unsalvable,  as  he  appears  to 
have  lost  all  his  spiritual  light,  and  understanding, 
and  even  his  moral  feeling."t 

It  is  true,  also,  that  the  "  Theology  of  that  divine 
is  made  up  of  extracts  from  his  writings,  approved  of 
and  published  by  the  General  Conference;  but  it  is 
true,  also,  that  all  the  authors  we  have  thus  far  quoted, 
except  one,|  are  published  by  the  sanction  of  the 
same  body.  As  to  flat  contradictions,  therefore,  why, 
that  we  may  expect.   , 

There  is  still  another  sentiment  in  the  quotations 
on  which  we  have  been  commenting,  wonderfully  at 
variance  with  common  sense  and  revelation.  It  is 
that  "  disinclination,  which  is  not  the  result  of  an  an- 
tecedent choice,  may  be  so  strong  as  to  destroy  free 
agency  and  responsibility,  unless  the  possessor  re- 
ceives foreign  aid  to  help  his  infirmities  and  strengthen 
him  for  a  contrary  choice." 

If  this  be  true,  then  it  follows  that  the  man  who  is 
possessed  of  feelings  so  honest  that  he  cannot  will  to 
defraud:  and  the  parent  who  is  so  affectionate  that  he 
cannot  will  to  hate  or  murder  his  children ;  and  the 
woman  who  is  so  virtuous  that  she  cannot  will  an  act 
of  lewdness;  and  the  man,  of  principles  so  honourable, 
that  he  cannot  will  an  act  of  meanness;  and  God, 
whose  disinclination  to  falsehood  is  such  that  he 
^^  cannot  lie,"^  are  not  free  agents,  unless  they  receive 
foreign  aid,  to  help  their  infirmities  and  strengthen 
them  for  a  contrary  choice :  while  beings  of  such  easy 
principles,  that  in  all  such  cases  they  can  as  readily 

*  Clarke's  Theology,  page  96.  f  Ibid,  page  104. 

X  Bangs'  Reply  to  Haskel.  §  Titus  i.  2. 


AND  ACCOUNTABILITY.  61 

go  one  way  as  the  other,  are  free  agents  and  the  only 
free  agents. 

Let  not  the  reader  suppose  we  push  the  consequence 
beyond  the  doctrine.  "We  grant,"  says  the  Rev.  N. 
L.  Bangs,  "  that  so  far  as  man  is  influenced  by  motive 
or  otherwise,  his  liberty  is  so  far  impaired  ""^  Of 
course  then,  if  he  has  the  least  taint  of  honour,  holi- 
ness, or  depravity,  he  is  so  far  deprived  of  free 
agency. 

Dr.  Fisk  says,  "  Man,  in  this  life,  is  in  a  state  of 
trial ;  good  and  evil  are  presented  before  him  as  ob- 
jects of  choice,  and  upon  this  choice  are  suspended 
eternal  consequences  of  happiness  or  misery.  Of  a 
being  thus  circumstanced,  it  is  not  enough  to  say, 
he  is  free  to  choose  as  he  does,  unless  you  can  say 
also,  he  is  equally  free  to  make  an  opposite  choice."t 

Then  it  follows  that  General  Hull  was  not  a  free 
agent,  nor  responsible  for  surrendering  to  the  British, 
when  he  could  have  easily  whipped  them,  and  that  the 
court-martial  that  sentenced  him  to  be  shot  for  cow- 
ardice, was  alone  guilty  in  the  transaction.  Then  it 
follows  that  a  rich  miser,  who  loves  money  more  than 
he  loves  honesty,  is  not  bound  to  pay  a  just  debt,  and 
that  a  court  of  justice  has  no  right  to  enforce  pay- 
ment; that  a  parent  who,  although  possessed  of  ample 
health  and  strength  to  provide  for  his  household,  but 
whose  aversion  to  labour  is  greater  than  his  love  for 
his  children,  "is  not  in  the  responsible  sense  of  the 
term,  a  free  agent."|  To  the  Calvinist  it  appears, 
on  the  contrary,  that  the  essence  of  liberty  consists  in 
our  being  permitted  to  do  as  we  please — that  as  the 
act  of  doing  is  preceded  by  a  determination  to  do, 
which  determination  is  itself  a  will  or  choice,  an  hon- 
ourable man  will  not  consider  his  free  agency  de- 

*  Reviewer  ReAriewed,  page  45. 

•}■  Calvinistic  Controversy,  No.  VIII.  %  1  Tim.  v.  8. 


52  ARMINIAN   FREE  AGENCY 

stroyed  if  he  cannot  will  to  do  what  is  mean — that 
God  acts  freely,  notwithstanding  his  disinclination  to 
falsehood  is  such  that  he  *^  cannot  lie."  And  that  if 
the  mere  want  of  a  will,  or  disposition  to  work,  will 
not  save  a  lazy  servant  from  the  lash;  and  the  mere 
want  of  a  will,  or  disposition  to  pay  a  just  debt,  will 
not  save  a  rich  miser  from  the  law,  neither  will  the 
mere  want  of  a  will  or  disposition  excuse  a  sinner,  who 
with  capacity  to  love  sin,  and  to  commit  it,  neglects 
to  employ  that  capacity  in  loving  and  serving  God. 

But  farther,  the  Calvinist  thinks  that  "  a  man  can 
no  more  cease  to  be  a  free  moral  agent  than  he  can 
annihilate  his  soul.  God  has  made  him  free — has  de- 
creed that  he  shall  be  free,  and  he  is  obliged  to  be 
free,  and  to  do  as  he  pleases,  and  he  cannot  do  other- 
wise than  as  he  pleases.  If  any  one  thinks  he  can,  let 
him  try  to  do  something  which  he  does  not  will  to  do. 
If  he  says  his  inability  to  do  this  destroys  his  free 
agency,  he  adopts  the  sentiment  that  he  cannot  be  a 
free  agent,  unless  he  can  do  what  he  does  not  will  to 
do."  That,  to  require  of  another  what,  although  he 
has  a  disposition  to  do  he  has  not  capacity  to  do, 
would  be  unjust,  is  self-evident.  But,  that  to  require 
of  another  what  he  has  capacity  to  do,  and  what  he 
ought  to  do,  but  what  he  may  have  no  disposition  to 
do,  is  not  unjust,  is  self-evident  also. 

Now,  that  man  has  capacity  to  repent,  when  he  is 
conscious  of  having  sinned,  we  know;  that  he  has 
capacity  to  believe  on  proper  testimony,  we  know; 
and  that  he  has  capacity  to  love,  we  know.  Hence, 
when  the  Scriptures  say,  in  reference  to  sin  against 
God,  "Except  ye  repent  ye  shall  perish;"*  and  when 
they  say,  in  reference  to  faith  in  Christ,  "  He  that  be- 
lieveth  not  shall  be  damned  ;"t  and  when  they  say 
in  reference  to  loving  the  Saviour,  "If  any  man  love 

*  Luke  xiii.  3.  f  Mark  xvi.  16. 


AND  ACCOUNTABILITY.  6d 

not  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  let  him  be  anathema,  ma- 
ranatha,"*  the  divine  Being  is  not  chargeable  with 
"  reaping  where  he  has  not  sown,  nor  of  gathering 
where  he  has  not  strewed."t 

The  essence  of  religion  is  love.  Hence,  "  Love  is 
the  fulfilling  of  the  law."|  When,  therefore,  man  is 
required  to  "love  the  Lord  with  all  his  heart,"  &c.,  it 
is  required  "  of  him  according  to  that  he  hath,  and  not 
according  to  that  he  hath  not."  2  Cor.  viii.  12. 

But  we  proceed  to  show,  fourthly,  that  according  to 
Arminians  there  is  no  such  liberty  or  self-determining 
power  of  the  will  as  has  been  contended  for. 

Mr.  Wesley  says,  "  If  a  natural  man  be  one  of 
those  (who  are  termed  men  of  learning)  he  can  talk  at 
large  of  his  rational  faculties;  of  the  freedom  of  his 
will,  and  the  absolute  necessity  of  such  freedom  in 
order  to  constitute  man  a  moral  agent.  He  reads, 
and  argues,  and  proves  to  demonstration,  that  every 
man  may  do  as  he  will ;  may  dispose  his  own  heart  to 
evil  or  good,  as  it  seems  best  in  his  own  eyes.  Thus 
the  God  of  this  world  spreads  a  double  veil  of  blind- 
ness over  his  heart,  lest  by  any  means  the  light  of 
the  glorious  gospel  of  Christ  should  shine  upon  it." 
"  But  though  he  strive  with  all  his  might,  he  cannot 
conquer.  Sin  is  mightier  than  he.  He  would  fain 
escape,  but  is  so  fast  in  prison  that  he  cannot  get 
forth.  He  resolves  against  sin,  but  yet  sins  on.  He 
sees  the  snare,  and  abhors,  yet  runs  into  it.  So  much 
does  his  boasted  reason  avail !  only  to  enhance  his 
guilt  and  increase  his  misery.  Such  is  the  freedom 
of  the  will !  free  only  to  evil.  Free  to  '  drink  in  ini- 
quity like  water;'  to  wander  further  and  further  from 
the  living  God,  and  do  more  '  despite  to  the  Spirit  of 
grace.'  "§ 

*  1  Cor.  xvi.  22.  f  Matt.  xxv.  24.  J  Rom.  xiii.  10. 

I  Sermon  on  The  spirit  of  Bondage  and  Adoption. 

5* 


54  ARMINIAN  FREE   AGENCY 

The  Rev.  R.  Watson  says,  "An  entire  Indiiference 
or  aversion  to  heavenly  things  is  represented  to  be 
the  state  of  all  who  are  not  quickened  by  the  instru- 
mentality of  the  gospel,  employed  for  this  purpose  by 
the  power  and  agency  of  its  divine  Author."*  Again 
he  says,  "We  are  here  in  a  dark  and  wretched 
dungeon — have  lost  spiritual  liberty  and  light — are 
fast  tied,  bound  with  the  chain  of  our  sins  and  are 
under  sentence  of  death. "f 

If  then  "we  have  lost  spiritual  liberty  and  light," 
where  is  the  liberty  of  the  will?  Where  is  that  moral 
equilibrium  which  we  have  been  told  is  essential  to 
liberty?  If  again,  there  is  in  all  who  are  not  quick- 
ened by  the  instrumentality  of  the  gospel,  an  entire 
aversion  to  heavenly  things,"  where  is  that  "  self- 
determining  principle  of  which  a  moral  agent,  to  be 
free,  must  be  possessed?"  And  if  again,  "  the  will  is 
free  only  to  evil,"  &c.,  where  is  that  "light  and  grace,, 
as  universal  as  inbred  sin,  which  if  not  resisted,  would 
work  out  the  salvation  of  all?" 

But  we  have  more  yet.  Dr.  Fisk  tells  us,  that 
"  the  affections  and  propensities,  (sometimes  called  the 
heart)  are  the  principal  seat  of  depravity,  and  (that) 
these  are  often  arrayed  in  direct  hostility  to  the  con- 
victions of  the  judgment  and  the  feelings  of  moral  ob- 
ligation— that  the  will,  or  that  mental  power  by  which 
we  put  forth  volitions  and  make  decisions,  while  it  is 
more  or  less  directly  or  indirectly  influenced  by  the 
judgment,  the  conscience  and  the  affections  is,  in  fact, 
designed  to  give  direction  and  unity  to  the  whole 
mental  action.  .  .  .  But  (that)  by  sin  this  harmony 
has  been  disturbed,  and  the  unholy  affections  have 
gained  an  undue  ascendency ;  so  that  in  the  unregene- 
rate,  in  all  questions  of  preference  between  God  and 

*  Theological  Institutes,  Part  ii.  Chapter  xviii. 
f  Sermon  on  the  Infliction  of  Evil  upon  Mankind. 


AND   ACCOUNTABILITY.  55 

the  world,  in  spite  of  the  judgment,  of  conscience  and 
of  the  will,  the  world  is  loved  and  God  hated;  that 
in  those  cases  where  we  cannot  control  our  affections 
by  a  direct  volition,  we  may  nevertheless,  under  the 
promptings  of  conscience,  and  in  the  light  of  the  judg- 
ment, resolve  against  sin — but  that  these  resolutions, 
however  firmly  and  repeatedly  made,  will  be  carried 
away  and  overruled  by  the  strength  of  the  carnal 
mind."* 

Here  then,  we  are  told,  that  the  affections  and  pro- 
pensities (of  man)  are  the  principal  seat  of  depravity ; 
that  the  will  is  designed  to  give,  and  always  does  give 
direction  and  unity  to  the  whole  mental  action  when 
there  is  a  proper  harmony  in  the  mental  powers;  but 
that  by  sin  this  harmony  has  been  disturbed,  so  that 
in  the  unregenerate  the  unholy  affections  control  the 
will,  &c.  But  if  this  be  so,  what  becomes  of  the 
liberty  of  the  will  ? 

Again,  in  reply  to  the  objection  that  "  it  is  the 
province  of  the  will  to  control  the  affections,  andsjuit 
of  the  affections  to  control  the  will,  and  that  the  will 
always  possesses  power  to  do  this,  even  in  an  unre- 
generate state,"  they  say,  "If  so,  then  has  he  power 
at  any  time  by  an  act  of  the  will  to  love  God," 
which  they  deny.f  But  if  this  be  so,  where  is  "  the 
power  of  choice,  and  of  a  contrary  choice,"  without 
which  we  are  told  there  can  be  no  free  agency  ? 

That  we  do  not  misapprehend  their  meaning  is  evi- 
dent from  what  is  said  in  a  preceding  number,  viz. 
That  "  the  will  is  oftener  enthralled  by  the  affections, 
than  the  affections  by  the  will;"  (that)  even  in  com- 
mon and  worldly  matters,  let  a  man  try  by  an  effort  of 
the  will  to  beget  love  where  it  does  not  exist,  or  to 
transfer  the  affections  from  one  object  to  another,  and 
how  will  he  succeed  ?  Will  love  or  hatred  go  or  come 
at  your  bidding  ?     You  might  as  well  attempt  by  an 

*  Calvinistic  Controversy,  No.  XIV.  f  Ibid. 


56  ARMINIAN  FREE   AGENCY 

act  of  the  will  to  make  sweet  bitter,  or  bitter  sweet,  to 
the  physical  taste.  How  much  less  can  a  man  by  an 
act  of  the  will  make  all  things  new,  and  transfer  the 
heart  from  the  grossness  of  creature  love  to  the  purity 
of  supreme  love  to  God  ?* 

Here  we  are  told  that  the  will  is  so  enthralled  by 
the  affections  that  it  cannot  will  to  love  God.  Where 
then  is  the  "self-determining  power  of  the  will,"  of 
which  "  a  moral  agent  to  be  free  must  be  possessed?" 
Is  not  Mr.  Wesley  correct  therefore,  when  he  says, 
"the  will  is  free  to  do  evil  only."t 

Again,  we  have  been  told  that  "the  affections  and 
propensities  are  the  principal  seat  of  depravity,"  and 
that  they  enthrall  the  will.  But  is  not  the  will  en- 
thralled by  itself  also  ?  In  answer  to  this  we  will 
hear  Mr.  Wesley  speaking  of  "  the  condition  wherein 
all  men  are  since  the  fall:"  he  says,  "  Our  nature  is 
altogether  corrupt  in  every  power  and  faculty,  and 
our  will  depraved  equally  with  the  rest,  is  wholly 
bent  to  indulge  our  natural  corruptions."  Sermon 
on  Self-denial. 

2.  We  will  hear  Arminius.  Speaking  of  "  the  free 
will  of  man,"  he  says,  "  In  his  lapsed  and  sinful  state 
man  is  not  capable,  of  and  by  himself,  either  to  think, 
to  will,  or  to  do,  that  which  is  really  good.  But  it  is 
necessary  for  him  to  be  regenerated  and  renewed  in 
his  intellect,  affections,  or  will,  and  in  all  his  powers, 
by  God  in  Christ,  through  the  Holy  Spirit,  that  he 
may  be  qualified  rightly  to  understand,  esteem,  con- 
sider, will  and  perform,  whatever  is  truly  good."  Life 
of  Arminius  by  Bangs,  page  222. 

Now  then,  as  "  our  nature  is  altogether  corrupt  in 
every  power  and  faculty,  and  our  will  depraved 
equally  with  the  rest,"  so  that  "  ma'n,  in  his  lapsed 
and  sinful  state,  is  not  capable  either  to  think,  to 

*  Calvinistic  Controversy,  No.  XIII. 

f  Sermon  on  the  Spirit  of  Bondage  and  Adoption. 


AND   ACCOUNTABILITY.  57 

will,  or  to  do  that  which  is  really  good,  until  regene- 
rated and  renewed  in  his  intellect,  affections,  will  and 
all  his  powers,  by  God  in  Christ,  through  the  Holy 
Spirit,"  if  this  is  not  a  giving  up  of  all  for  which 
Arminians  contend  as  having  been  restored  to  fallen 
man,  then  language  has  no  meaning. 

The  reader  has  now  seen  the  fourth  side  of  the  four- 
sided  figure  we  undertook  to  demonstrate.  We  once 
heard  Dr.  Ives,  the  then  Bishop  of  North  Carolina, 
preach  a  laboured  and  eloquent  sermon  on  "  The  One- 
ness of  Truth."  His  object  was  to  show  that  truth  is 
necessarily  one,  or  in  other  words,  that  the  opposite 
of  truth  cannot  be  true.  The  inference,  though  not 
expressed,  was  natural,  viz.  Admitting  Episcopacy  to 
be  true,  non  Episcopacy  is  not  true.  We  were  sur- 
prised to  witness  so  great  an  efi'ort  to  prove  what  we 
supposed  no  one  doubted.  Those  however  were  our 
younger  days.  We  had  not  then  read  many  Arminian 
authors,  and  of  course  had  not  learned,  as  we  have 
seen  it  stated  since,  that  truth  is  not  one  only,  but  is 
sometimes  two,  sometimes  three,  and  sometimes  four, 
according  to  circumstances. 

Having  shown  by  Arminians  themselves  that  there 
is  no  such  self-determining  power  of  the  will  as  they 
contend  for,  it  follows,  according  to  the  same  authority, 
but  no  other — 

1.  That  man  is  not  a  free,  and  consequently,  not 
an  accountable  agent.  2.  That  if  there  is  any  such 
thing  as  sin  in  the  world,  God  is  the  author  of  it. 
The  Rev.  R.  Watson  remarks  correctly,  though  in  so 
doing  he  bears  very  heavily  on  himself  and  his  Armi- 
nian brethren,  that  "  the  dogma  which  makes  God 
the  efficient  cause  or  author  o#  sin,  is  direct  blas- 
phemy, and  is  one  of  those  culpable  extravagancies 
into  which  men  are  sometimes  betrayed  by  a  blind 
attachment  to  some  favourite  theory."  Theol.  Insti- 
tutes, Part  ii.  Chap.  vi. 


58 


CHAPTER    VII. 

THE    OMNISCIENCE    OF    GOD. 

Calvinists  contend  that  all  the  consequences  in- 
volved by  the  divine  decrees,  are  necessarily  involved 
by  the  divine  omniscience,  and  hence  that  every  ob- 
jection urged  against  the  former  may  be  urged  against 
the  latter  also.  Although  Arminians  deny  this,  we 
undertake  to  prove,  not  only  that  it  is  so,  but  that  it 
is  so  by  the  admission  of  those  who  deny  it.  That 
we  may  the  more  strikingly  present  the  issue  involved, 
we  will  introduce  it  with  the  following  dialogue  be- 
tween an  Arminian  and  a  Calvinist. 

Arminian.  The  doctrine  of  predestination  has  long 
appeared  to  me  so  utterly  at  war  with  reason  and 
revelation  that  I  cannot  beelive  it. 

Calvinist.  That,  sir,  I  suppose  is  owing  to  the  fact 
that  you  have  not  properly  examined  it.  You  have  no 
doubt  heard  much  said  against  it — perhaps  you  have 
seen  the  numerous  misquotations  against  it  that  abound 
in  the  works  of  Wesley,  the  volume  of  Methodist  Doc- 
trinal Tracts,  and  Fisk's  Calvinistic  Controversy; 
some  of  which  are  forged  in  part,  many  of  them 
forged  entirely.  You  may  also  have  seen  the  nume- 
rous misrepresentations  of  that  doctrine  that  are  to  be 
found,  not  only  in  the  books  just  named,  but  also  in 
Watson's  Theological  Institutes,  Foster's  Objections 
to  Calvinism,  &c.  &c.  &c.  Now,  you  supposing  these 
quotations,  &c.  to  ifave  been  truthfully  made,  natu- 
rally suppose  that  Calvinism  merits  all  the  odium 
raised  against  it.  As  I  desire  to  correct  your  impres- 
sions, permit  me  to  ask  you  a  few  questions.  Are 
you  of  the  opinion  that  all  men  will  be  saved  ? 


THE  DIVINE   OMNISCIENCE.  60 

A.  By  no  means. 

C.  But  you  have  no  doubt  it  will  be  determined  on 
the  day  of  judgment  who  are  to  be  saved,  and  who 
are  to  be  lost.  / 

A.  Certainly,  sir. 

C.  Is  the  great  God  under  the  necessity  of  waiting 
so  long,  before  he  can  ascertain  who  the  righteous  are, 
that  are  to  be  saved,  and  who  the  wicked  are,  that  are 
to  be  lost? 

A.  By  no  means;  for  "known  unto  God  are  all  his 
works  from  the  beginning."  Acts  xv.  18. 

G,  When  do  you  suppose  he  obtained  that  know- 
ledge ? 

A.  [After  a  short  pause,)  He  must  have  known  it 
from  eternity. 

C.  Then  it  must  have  been  fixed  from  eternity  ? 

A.  That  does  not  follow. 

C.  Then  it  follows,  that  he  did  not  know  it  from 
eternity,  but  only  guessed  at  it;  for  how  can  Omnis- 
cience know  what  is  yet  uncertain? 

A.  Then  it  does  seem  that  it  must  have  been  fixed 
from  eternity. 

0.  One  question  more  will  prove  that  you  believe 
the  doctrine  of  predestination.  You  have  admitted 
what  can  never  be  disproved,  viz.  that  God  could  not 
have  known  from  eternity,  who  will  be  saved,  &c. 
unless  it  had  been  fixed  from  eternity.  If  then  it 
was  fixed  from  eternity,  who  fixed  it  ? 

After  this  introduction  we  proceed  to  the  work  be- 
fore us.  In  reference  to  divine  omniscience,*  Mr. 
Wesley  and  the  General  Conference  entertain  views 
somewhat  peculiar.  Mr.  Wesley  says :  "  The  almighty, 
all-wise  God,  sees  and  knows  from  everlasting  to  ever- 
lasting, all  that  is,  that  was,  and  that  is  to  come, 
through  one  eternal  now.  With  him  nothing  is  past 
or  future,  but  all  things  equally  present.     He  has, 


60  THE   DIVINE   OMNISCIENCE. 

therefore,  if  we  may  speak  according  to  the  truth  of 
things,  no  fore-knowledge,  no  after-knowledge."* 
The  General  Conference  say:  "Properly  speaking, 
tl^ere  is  no  such  thing  as  fore-knowledge  or  after- 
knowledge  with  God,  but  strictly  knowledge,  present 
knowledge."t 

But,  as  between  an  eternity  past  and  an  eternity  to 
come  there  is  a  long  interval,  in  which  are  many 
occurrences,  it  is  difficult  to  conceive  how  "  all 
things"  can  be  "  equally  present"  to  the  divine  mind, 
or  how  it  can  be  said  that  "  with  him  nothing  is  past 
or  future" — that  not  the  creation  of  the  world  even,  is 
a  past  event,  or  the  day  of  judgment,  future;  or 
how  it  can  be  said  he  has  "  no  fore-knowledge"  of 
what  will  take  place,  or  "  after-knowledge"  of  what 
has  taken  place.  Calvinists,  therefore,  greatly  pre- 
fer the  theology  of  the  apostles  Peter  and  Paul.  The 
former  tells  us  that  Christ  was  "  delivered  according 
to  the  determinate  counsel  and  fore-knowledge  of 
God. "I  And  the  latter  says,  "Whom  he  did  fore- 
know, he  also  did  predestinate,"  &c.§ 

Again,  it  is  difficult  to  reconcile  what  Mr.  Wesley 
and  the  General  Conference  say  of  the  omniscience  of 
God,  with  what  they  say  of  the  doctrine  of  election. 
Speaking  of  the  elect,  they  say,  "It  is  plain  the  act  of 
electing  is  in  time,  though  known  before" — that 
"  they  were  not  elected  till  some  thousand  years  after 
the  foundation  of  the  world" — "were  not  chosen  be- 
fore they  believed."  ||  But  how  could  "the  act  of  elect- 
ing be  known  before,"  if  God  has  no  fore-know- 
ledge ? 

Again,  if  to  the  divine  mind  "  all  things  are  equally 
present,"  so  that  "nothing  is  past  or  future,"  then 
the  "  conversion"  of  the  elect  was  as  much  present  in 

*  Sermon  on  Predestination. 

f  Methodist  Magazine,  Vol.  iii.  page  13.  J  Acts  ii.  23, 

^  Rom.  viii.  29.  ||  Doctrinal  Tracts,  pp.  138,  139. 


THE  DIVINE   OMNTISCIENCE.  61 

eternity,  as  it  is  when  the  conversion  takes  place.  If 
then  the  election  took  place  at  the  time  of  their  con- 
version, and  their  conversion  was  as  much  present  to 
the  divine  mind  in  eternity  past,  as  at  any  time  since, 
how  can  it  be  said  that  "  the  election  did  not  take 
place  till  some  thousand  years  after  the  foundation  of 
the  world?" 

As  Mr.  Watson  so  completely  refutes  Mr.  Wesley 
and  the  General  Conference,  we  will  let  him  speak. 
*'  The  knowledge  of  the  actual  existence  of  things 
with  God  is  successive,  because  things  come  into  be- 
ing in  succession.  As  to  actual  existences,  there  is 
fore-knowledge,  present-knowledge,  and  after-know- 
ledge with  God  as  with  ourselves."* 

But  again :  If"  the  almighty,  all-wise  God,  sees  and 
knows  from  everlasting  to  everlasting,  all  that  was, 
and  that  is  to  come,  through  an  eternal  now,"  then  it 
follows,  that  all  events  are  to  him  certainly  known. 
And  if  they  are  certainly  known,  they  are  certainly 
fixed.  And  if  they  are  certainly  fixed,  they  cannot, 
by  any  agency  of  man,  be  changed.  But  how,  it  may 
be  asked,  can  this  be  reconciled  with  the  free  agency 
of  man  ?  Mr.  Wesley  saw  this  difficulty,  and  hence, 
in  a  letter  to  the  Rev.  Dr.  Robertson,  dated  Septem- 
ber 24th,  1753,  he  says :  "  If  any  one  asks,  How  is 
God's  fore-knowledge  consistent  with  our  freedom? 
I  plainly  answer,  I  cannot  tell."t  When,  therefore, 
the  Calvinist  is  asked,  "  How  are  God's  decrees  con- 
sistent with  our  freedom?"  he  replies  as  Wesley  did  in 
reference  to  the  divine  fore-knowledge,  "I  cannot 
tell." 

Now,  as  Mr.  Wesley  admits  that  the  divine  omni- 
science involves  the  consequences  involved  by  the 
divine  decrees,  is  it  not  strange  he  should  overlook 

*  Theological  Institutes,  Part  II.  Chap.  t. 
t  Works,  Vol.  vi.  page  720. 

6 


62  THE   DIVINE   OMNISCIENCE. 

the  former,  yet  say  of  the  latter,  "  It  destroys  all  the 
attributes  of  God  at  once.  It  overturns  both  his  jus- 
tice, mercy,  and  truth.  Yea,  it  represents  the  most 
holy  God  as  worse  than  the  devil ;  as  both  more  false, 
more  cruel,  more  unjust."*  Why  not  say  the  same 
of  fore-knowledge  also,  which,  according  to  his  own 
admission,  is  equally  obnoxious  to  the  charge? 

Mr.  Watson  and  Dr.  Fisk,  to  avoid  the  difficulty 
Mr.  Wesley  admitted,  start  on  the  farther  side  of  the 
ditch  they  had  to  cross.  The  former  says,  "The 
prescience  of  God  is  also  a  subject  by  which  Calvin- 
ists  have  endeavoured  to  give  some  plausibility  to  their 
system."  And  he  argues,  that  "the  simple  know- 
ledge of  an  action,  whether  present,  past,  or  to  come, 
has  no  influence  upon  it  of  any  kind.  When,  there- 
fore it  is  said,  that  what  God  foresees  will  certainly 
happen,  nothing  more  can  be  reasonably  meant  than 
that  he  is  certain  it  will  happen" — that  "there is  this 
certainty  in  the  divine  mind  as  to  the  actions  of  men, 
that  they  will  happen:  but  that  they  must  happen, 
cannot  follow  from  this  circumstance."! 

The  latter  says,  "Whatever  God  foreknows,  or 
.foresees,  will  undoubtedly  come  to  pass.  But  the 
simple  question  is,  does  the  event  take  place  because 
it  is  foreknown,  or  is  it  foreknown  because  it  will  take 
place.  Or  in  other  words,  does  God  know  an  event 
to  be  certain,  or  does  his  knowing  it  to  be  certain, 
make  it  certain  ?  The  question  thus  stated,  at  once 
suggests  the  true  answer ;  for  he  would  be  considered 
a  fool  or  a  madman,  who  should  seriously  assert  that 
a  knowledge  of  a  certainty  produced  that  certainty. 
According  to  that,  a  certainty  must  exist  in  order  to 
be  foreknown,  and  it  must  be  foreknown  in  order  to 
exist.     From  all  which  it  appears,  that  fore-know- 

*  Sermon  on  Free  Grace. 

•)•  Theological  Institutes,  Part  II.  Chap,  xxviii. 


THE  DIVINE   OMNISCIENCE.  OS 

ledge  can  have  no  influence  in  making  a  future  event 
certain."*  Each  of  these  positions  is,  that  the  mere 
knowledge  of  an  event  does  not  render  it  certain. 
Calvinists  contend,  on  the  contrary,  that  an  event 
cannot  be  certainly  known,  unless  it  is  certain,  and 
that  the  divine  fore-knowledge  necessarily  implies  the 
divine  decrees.     Let  us  see. 

Admitting  the  divine  fore-knowledge,  God  must 
have  known  from  eternity  that  the  world  would  exist. 
But  the  world  could  not  exist  unless  he  would  create 
it.  Now,  although  he  could  know  it  might  exist,  he 
could  not  know  it  would  exist  unless  he  had  deter- 
mined to  create  it. 

Again:  Being  omniscient,  he  must  have  always 
known  that  man  would  sin  and  fall.  But  man  could 
not  sin  and  fall  unless  created.  God's  knowledge  of 
that  event,  therefore,  depended  on  his  decree  to  create 
man.  But  again :  If  God  created  man,  knowing  that 
he  would  sin  and  fall,  he  must  have  been  willing  on 
the  whole  that  he  should  sin  and  fall,  for  otherwise, 
he  would  not  have  created  him.  But  to  will  to  create 
him,  with  the  certain  knowledge  of  a  result  that  could 
not  happen  unless  he  was  created,  was  to  decree  the 
result.  The  same  is  true  of  the  betrayal  and  cruci- 
fixion of  our  Saviour,  and,  in  short,  of  every  act  of 
every  man  on  earth,  so  that  the  divine  fore-knowledge 
necessarily  implies  the  divine  decrees,  and  involves  all 
that  they  involve.  And  so,  every  objection  which  can 
be  urged  against  the  latter  applies  with  equal  force  to 
the  former  also.  Mr.  Watson  and  Dr.  Fisk,  and  the 
General  Conference,  would  have  been  more  consistent, 
therefore,  if,  like  Mr.  Wesley,  they  had  acknowledged 
that  they  could  not  reconcile  the  divine  fore-knowledge 
with  the  free  agency  of  man.f 

*  Calvinistic  Controversy,  the  Sermon. 

f  Arminians  contend  that  the  divine  decrees  are  consequent  of, 
and  depend  upon  the  divine  fore-knowledge.    To  this  we  reply,  that 


64  THE   DIVINE   OMNISCIENCE. 

To  avoid  this  difficulty,  the  celebrated  Adam  Clarke 
adopted  a  theory  which  Mr.  Watson  ascribes  to  the 
Chevalier  Ramsay.* 

"  Omniscience,"  says  he,  "  or  power  to  know  all 
things,  is  an  attribute  of  God,  and  exists  in  him  as 
omnipotence,  or  power  to  do  all  things.  .  .  God  can- 
not have  fore-knowledge  strictly  speaking,  because  this 
would  suppose  there  was  something  coming,  in  what 
we  call  futurity,  which  had  not  yet  arrived  in  the  pre- 
sence of  the  Deity.  Neither  can  he  have  any  after- 
knowledge,  strictly  speaking,  for  this  would  suppose 
that  something  that  had  taken  place  in  what  we  call 
preteriety  or  past  time,  had  got  beyond  the  presence 
of  the  Deity.  As  God  exists  in  all  that  can  be  called 
eternity,  so  he  is  equally  everywhere.  Nothing  can 
be  past  to  him,  because  he  equally  exists  in  all  past 
time ;  futurity  and  preteriety  are  relative  terms  to  us, 
but  they  can  have  no  relation  to  that  '  God  with  whom 
all  that  is  past,  all  that  is  present,  and  all  that  is 
future  to  man,  exists  in  one  infinite,  indivisible,  and 
eternal  now.'  As  God's  omnipotence  implies  his 
power  to  do  all  things,  so  God's  omniscience  implies 
his  power  to  know  all  things:  but  we  must  take  heed 
that  we  meddle  not  with  the  infinite  free  agency  of 
this  eternal  being.  Though  God  can  do  all  things,  he 
does  not  do  all  things,  but  such  only  as  are  proper  to 

be  done God  is  omniscient,  and  can  know 

all  things,  but  does  it  follow  from  this  that  he  must 
know  all  things  ?  Is  he  not  as  free  in  the  volitions  of 
his  wisdom,  as  he  is  in  the  volitions  of  his  power. 

80  far  as  a  knowledge  of  what  ought  to  be,  is  concerned,  it  is  true. 
But  so  far  as  the  knowledge  of  what  shall  be  is  concerned,  it  is  not 
true.  God  must  have  known  what,  on  the  whole,  ought  to  be,  be- 
fore he  could  knowingly  decree  that  it  should  be.  But  then  he 
could  know  nothing  more  than  that  it  might  be,  until  he  decreed 
that  it  should  be. 

*  For  this  theory,  see  Watson's  Theological  Institutes,  Part  II. 
Chap.  iv. 


THE  DIVINE   OMNISCIENCE.  96 

God  has  ordained  some  things  ahsolutely  certain.  He 
has  ordained  others  as  contingent.  By  contingent,  I 
mean  such  things  as  the  infinite  wisdom  of  God  has 
poised  on  the  possibility  of  being  or  not  being,  leaving 
it  to  the  will  of  intelligent  beings  to  turn  the  scale." 
"If  there  be  no  such  things  as  contingencies  in  the 
world,  then  everything  is  fixed,  and  determined  by 
an  unalterable  decree  and  purpose  of  God,  and  not 
only  all  free  agency  is  destroyed,  but  all  agency  of 
every  kind,  except  that  of  the  Creator  himself." 
"  Thus  all  vice  and  virtue,  praise  and  blame,  merit 
and  demerit,  guilt  and  innocence,  are  at  once  con- 
founded, and  all  distinctions  of  this  kind  confounded 
with  them.  Now  allowing  the  doctrine  of  contingency 
of  human  action,  and  it  must  be  allowed,  in  order  to 
shun  the  above  absurdities  and  blasphemies,  then  we 
see  every  intelligent  creature  accountable  for  its  own 
works,  and  for  the  use  it  makes  of  the  power  with 
which  the  Creator  has  endowed  it."* 

If  Paul  wrote  "some  things  hard  to  be  under- 
stood,"f  Dr.  Clarke  has  written  some  things  much 
harder.  For  when  he  says  "  God  exists  in  all  that 
can  be  called  eternity" — "equally  exists  in  all  past 
time" — "dwells  in  every  point  of  eternity,"  &c.  he  is 
too  deep  for  a  Calvinist.  But  when  he  adds,  "with 
whom  all  that  is  past,  all  that  is  present,  and  all  that 
is  future  to  man,  exists  in  one  infinite,  indivisible  and 
eternal  now,"  and  yet  says  there  are  some  things  God 
does  not  know,  he  blasphemously  charges  the  Deity 
with  being  ignorant  of  what  takes  place  in  his  pre- 
sence— or,  in  other  words,  with  a  degree  of  stupidity 
unknown  among  intelligent  beings.  Again  he  says, 
"  Omniscience,  or  a  power  to  know  all  things,  is  an 
attribute  of  God,  and  exists  with  him  as  omnipotence, 
or  the  power  to  do  all  things,"  &c.     Here  he  teaches 

*  Comments  on  Acts,  Chap.  ii.  f  2  Peter  iii.  16. 

6* 


66  THE   DIVINE   OMNISCIENCE. 

that  omniscience,  that  is,  knowing  all  things,  is  no- 
thing more  than  "a  power  to  know,"  &c. 

But  again,  he  charges  the  Deity  with  imposing  upon 
himself  voluntary  ignorance.  His  argument  is,  that 
as  there  are  some  things  God  ought  not  to  do,  so 
there  are  some  things,  which  if  he  should  know,  then 
certain  disastrous  consequences,  which  he  names,  must 
follow.  Of  course,  then,  he  is  culpable  in  proportion 
to  the  evils  that  creep  into  his  government  in  conse- 
quence of  this  voluntary  ignorance,  and  but  for  which 
they  would  have  been  prevented.  Now  this  is  a  crime 
the  people  of  these  United  States  would  not  tolerate 
in  their  President.  And  yet  Dr.  Clarke  says  truly, 
there  is  no  other  way  to  avoid  all  the  consequences  of 
predestination. 

When  we  sat  at  the  feet  of  the  venerable  Dr.  Alex- 
ander, in  1827,  he  remarked  in  his  Introductory  Lec- 
ture to  the  new  class,  among  other  things  we  remem- 
ber, that  "  all  knowledge  is  valuable;"  and  he  there- 
fore urged  us,  *'  with  all  our  getting,  to  get  know- 
ledge." According  to  Dr.  Clarke,  however,  this  would 
not  do  for  God,  as  there  are  some  things  he  ought  not 
to  know.  To  us  it  appears,  on  the  contrary,  that  God 
ought  to  know  all  things,  so  that  if  there  are  some 
things  he  ought  not  to  know,  he  may  know  them  ;  and 
then,  if  it  be  true,  that  he  "  is  as  free  in  the  volitions 
of  his  wisdom  as  he  is  in  the  volitions  of  his  power," 
he  can  forget  exactly  all  he  ought  not  to  know. 

Dr.  Fisk,  on  the  contrary,  differs  very  widely  from 
Dr.  Clarke.  "To  know,"  says  he,  "is  so  essential  to 
God,  that  the  moment  he  ceases  to  know  all  that  is, 
or  will  be,  or  might  be,  under  any  possible  contin- 
gency, he  ceases  to  be  God."* 

This  latter  divine  is  certainly  correct.  But  while 
he  comes  down  on  Dr.  Clarke  with  Atheism,  Dr.  Clarke 

*  Calvinistic  Controversy,  the  Sermon. 


THE  DIVINB  OMNISCIENCE.  67 

comes  down  on  him  with  Calvinism.  On  the  whole, 
notwithstanding  Dr.  Clarke's  notion  is  atheistical  and 
blasphemous,  yet,  inasmuch  as  it  met  with  great 
favour  in  the  Methodist  Church,  till  the  appearance 
of  Watson's  Theological  Institutes,  it  seems  a  pity 
that  "brother  Fisk"  should  be  so  severe  on  brother 
Clarke,  especially  as  the  latter  was  in  favour  with  the 
General  Conference  long  before  the  former  was 
known. 

The  Rev.  R.  Watson,  after  stating  the  theory  of 
Dr.  Clarke,  says:  "  To  this  it  may  be  answered,  that 
the  infinite  power  of  God  is  in  Scripture  represented 
(as  in  the  nature  of  things  it  must  be)  as  an  infinite 
capacity,  and  not  as  an  infinite  act;  but  the  know- 
ledge of  God  is,  on  the  contrary,  never  represented 
there  as  a  capacity  to  acquire  knowledge,  but  as  actu- 
ally comprehending  all  things  that  are,  and  all  things 
that  can  be.  2.  That  the  choosing  to  know  some  things 
and  not  to  know  others,  supposes  a  reason  why  he  re- 
fuses to  know  any  class  of  things  or  events,  which 
reason,  it  would  seem,  can  only  arise  out  of  their  na- 
ture and  circumstances,  and  therefore  supposes  at  least 
a  partial  knowledge  of  them,  from  which  the  reason  of 
his  not  choosing  to  know  them  arises.  The  doctrine  is 
therefore  somewhat  contradictory.  But — 3.  It  is  fatal 
to  this  opinion,  that  it  does  not  at  all  meet  the  diffi- 
culty arising  out  of  the  question  of  the  congruity  of 
divine  prescience  and  the  free  actions  of  man  ;  since 
some  contingent  actions  for  which  men  have  been 
made  accountable,  we  are  sure  have  been  foreknown 
by  God,  because  by  his  Spirit  in  the  prophets,  they 
were  foretold,  and  if  the  freedom  of  man  can  in  these 
cases  be  reconciled  to  the  prescience  of  God,  there  is 
no  greater  diflficulty  in  any  other  case  which  can  pos- 
sibly occur."* 

*  Theological  Institutes,  Part  II.  Chap.  iv. 


68  THE   DIVINE   OMNISCIENCE. 

Again  he  says,  "  That  man  is  accountable  for  his 
conduct,  and  therefore  free,  that  is,  laid  under  no  in- 
vincible necessity  of  acting  in  a  given  manner,  are 
doctrines  clearly  contained  in  the  Bible,  and  the  no- 
tion of  necessity  has  here  its  full  and  satisfactory 
reply.  But  if  a  difficulty  should  be  felt  in  reconciling 
the  freedom  of  an  action  with  the  prescience  of  it,  it 
affords  not  the  slightest  relief  to  deny  the  foreknow- 
ledge of  God,  as  to  actions  in  general,  while  the 
Scriptures  contain  predictions  of  the  conduct  of  men, 
■whose  actions  cannot  have  been  determined  by  invin- 
cible necessity,  because  they  were  actions  for  which 
they  received  from  God  a  just  and  marked  punish- 
ment. Whether  the  scheme  of  relief  be,  that  the 
knowledge  of  God,  like  his  power,  is  arbitrary;  or  that 
the  prescience  of  contingencies  is  impossible  ;  so  long 
as  the  Scriptures  are  allowed  to  contain  predictions 
of  the  conduct  of  men,  good  or  bad,  the  difficulty  re- 
mains in  all  its  force.  The  whole  body  of  prophecy 
is  founded  on  the  certain  prescience  of  contingent 
actions,  or  it  is  not  prediction,  but  guess  and  conjec- 
ture— to  such  fearful  results  does  the  denial  of  pres- 
cience lead!  No  one  can  deny  that  the  Bible 
contains  predictions  of  the  rise  and  fall  of  several 
kingdoms — that  Daniel,  for  instance,  prophesied  of 
the  rise,  the  various  fortunes,  and  the  fall  of  the  cele- 
brated monarchies  of  antiquity.  But  empires  do  not 
rise  and  fall  wholly  by  immediate  acts  of  God.  They 
are  not  thrown  up  like  new  islands  in  the  ocean;  they 
do  not  fall  like  cities  in  an  earthquake,  by  the  direct 
exertion  of  divine  power;  they  are  carried  through 
their  various  stages  of  advance  and  decline  by  the 
virtues  and  the  vices  of  men,  which  God  makes  the 
instruments  of  their  prosperity  or  their  destruction. 
Counsels,  wars,  science,  revolutions,  all  crowd  in  their 
agency,  and  the  predictions  are  of  the  combined  and 
ultimate  results  of  all  these  circumstances,  which,  as 


THE  DIVINE  OMNISOIENCE.  6V 

arising  out  of  the  virtues  and  vices  of  men,  out  of 
innumerable  acts  of  choice,  are  contingent.  Seen 
they  must  have  been  through  all  their  stages,  and 
seen  in  their  results,  for  prophecy  has  registered  those 
results.  The  prescience  of  them  cannot  be  denied, 
for  that  is  on  record ;  and  if  certain  prescience  in- 
volves necessity,  then  are  the  daily  virtues  and  vices 
of  men  not  contingent.  It  was  predicted  that  Baby- 
lon should  be  taken  by  Cyrus  in  the  midst  of  a  mid- 
night revel,  in  which  the  gates  should  be  left  unguarded 
and  open.  Now,  if  all  the  actions  which  arose  out  of 
the  warlike  disposition  and  ambition  of  Cyrus  were 
contingent,  what  becomes  of  the  principle  that  it  is 
impossible  to  foreknow  contingencies  ?  They  were 
foreknown  because  the  result  of  them  was  predicted. 
If  the  midnight  revel  of  the  Babylonian  monarch  was 
contingent  (the  circumstances  which  led  to  the  neglect 
of  the  gates  of  the  city)  that  also  was  foreknown,  be- 
cause predicted;  if  not  contingent,  the  actions  of 
both  monarchs  were  necessary,  and  to  neither  of  them 
can  be  ascribed  virtue  or  vice."* 

In  these  quotations  Mr.  "Watson  certainly  over- 
throws, 

1.  What  he  himself  and  Dr.  Fisk  says  in  a  former 
part  of  this  chapter,  viz.,  "  That  there  is  no  difficulty 
in  reconciling  the  fore-knowledge  of  God  with  the  free 
agency  of  man."  They  not  only  admit  there  is  a  dif- 
ficulty, but  give  it  a  Calvinistic  answer.     And, 

2.  They  overthrow  the  theory  of  Dr.  Clarke. 

But  again,  in  the  "Methodist  Magazine,"  Vol.  iii. 
page  13,  a  writer,  after  defining  the  omniscience  of 
God,  says,  "  Should  it  be  asked  how  entire  freedom 
of  action  agrees  with  this  knowledge?  I  answer,  I 
cannot  tell.  .  .  .  The  plain  truth  is,  the  subject  is 
too  far  removed  from  the  province  of  our  faculties  and 

*  Theological  Institutes,  Part  II.  Chap.  iv. 


70  THE   DIVINE   OMNISCIENCE.  . 

the  sphere  of  human  science,  to  afford  us  any  safe  or 
satisfactory  conclusions.  We  must  therefore  satisfy 
ourselves  on  the  subject  from  what  we  perceive  in  our- 
selves, from  what  we  observe  in  others,  and  from  what 
it  has  pleased  God  to  reveal  to  us.  We  are  conscious 
of  acting  freely ;  from  analogy  and  observation  we  are 
convinced  that  our  fellow-creatures  do  the  same,  and 
nothing  is  more  obvious  than  that  the  divine  laws 
embracing  precepts,  rewards  and  punishments,  recog- 
nize man  as  a  voluntary,  not  a  necessary  agent,  and 
consequently  at  liberty  to  obey  or  disobey.  On  such 
evidence  we  must  rest  till  it  shall  please  God  to  de- 
velope  what  has  hitherto  been  locked  up  in  the  trea- 
sury of  eternal  wisdom." 

Here  then  the  same  difficulty  is  admitted  in  refer- 
ence to  the  divine  omniscience,  which  Calvinists  admit 
in  reference  to  the  divine  decrees,  viz.,  "  How  entire 
freedom  of  action  agrees  with"  them;  and  the  same 
answer  is  given  by  Arminians  in  reference  to  the  dif- 
ficulty they  admit,  which  Calvinists  give  to  the  objec- 
tion charged  against  the  divine  decrees.  Is  it  asked, 
Why  then  do  the  former  urge  this  objection  so  furi- 
ously against  predestination  only?  We  answer,  This 
is  one  of  their  inconsistencies. 

Again,  Arminians  admit  they  cannot  reconcile  the 
sincerity  of  God,  in  exhorting,  warning,  and  inviting 
those  that  perish  with  the  certain  fore-knowledge  that 
they  will  perish. 

"That  God  should  prohibit  many  things,"  say  they, 
"  which  he  nevertheless  knows  will  occur,  and  in  the 
prescience  of  which  he  regulates  his  dispensations  to 
bring  out  of  these  circumstances  various  results  which 
he  makes  subservient  to  the  displays  of  his  mercy  and 
his  justice;  and  particularly  in  the  case  of  those  indi- 
viduals, who  he  knows  will  finally  perish,  he  exhorts, 
warns,  invites,  and  in  a  word  takes  active  and  in- 
fluential means  to  prevent  a  foreseen  result.     This 


THE  DrVTNE   OMNISCIENCE.  71 

forms  the  difficulty;  because  in  the  case  of  man,  the 
prescience  of  failure  would,  in  many  cases,  paralyze 
all  effort;  whereas  in  the  government  of  God,  men  are 
treated  in  our  views  with  as  much  intensity  of  care 
and  effort,  as  though  the  issue  of  things  was  entirely 
unknown.  But  if  the  perplexity  arises  from  this,  no- 
thing can  be  more  clear  than  that  the  question  is  not 
how  to  reconcile  God's  prescience  with  the  freedom 
of  man,  but  how  to  reconcile  the  conduct  of  God  to- 
wards man  considered  as  a  free  agent,  with  his  own 
prescience — how  to  assign  a  congruity  to  warnings, 
exhortations  and  other  means  adopted  to  prevent  de- 
struction as  to  individuals,  with  the  certain  foresight 
of  that  terrible  result."* 

To  this  they  give  the  following  answer,  viz. 

"In  this,  however,  no  moral  attribute  of  God  is 
impugned.  On  the  contrary,  mercy  requires  the  pub- 
lication of  the  means  of  deliverance,  if  man  be  under 
a  dispensation  of  grace,  and  justice  requires  it  if  man 
is  to  be  judged  for  the  use  or  abuse  of  mercy.  The 
difficulty  then  entirely  resolves  itself  into  a  mere  mat- 
ter of  feeling,  which  of  course,  (as  we  cannot  be  judges 
of  a  nature  infinite  in  perfection,  nor  of  proceedings, 
which,  in  the  unlimited  range  of  the  government  of 
God,  may  have  connections  and  bearings  beyond  our 
comprehension,)  we  cannot  reduce  to  a  human  stand- 
ard. .  .  .  Are  we  to  deny  that  we  have  no  proper  or 
direct  notions  of  God  because  we  cannot  find  him  out 
to  perfection?  .  .  .  We  fall  into  new  difficulties 
through  these  speculations,  but  do  not  escape  the  true 
one.  If  the  freedom  of  man  is  denied,  the  moral  at- 
tributes of  God  are  impugned,  and  the  difficulty,  as  a 
matter  of  feeling  is  heightened.  Divine  prescience 
cannot  be  denied,  because  the  prophetic  Scriptures 
have  determined  that  already;   and   if  Archbishop 

*  Theological  Institutes,  Part  II.  Chap.  iv. 


72  THE  DECREES  OP  GOD. 

King's  interpretation  of  fore-knowledge  be  resorted  to, 
the  something  substituted  for  prescience  and  equiva- 
lent to  it  comes  in  to  bring  us  back  to  the  fallacious 
circle,  to  the  point  from  which  we  started."* 

A  part  of  this  answer  is  rational  and  scriptural, 
but  a  part  of  it  is  not.  We,  however,  will  let  it  stand 
for  what  it  is  worth.  Is  it  asked  again.  Why  do  Ar- 
minians  so  furiously  urge  an  objection  against  the 
Calvinistic  doctrine  of  Election  and  of  the  Atonement 
(viz.  that  they  cannot  be  reconciled  to  the  exhorta- 
tions, calls  and  warnings  of  the  gospel,)  which  they 
admit  lies  with  equal  force  against  the  fore-knowledge 
of  God  ?  We  answer,  This  is  another  of  their  incon- 
sistencies. 

We  have  now  presented  the  reader  with  another 
four-sided  figure,  viz.,  one  side  by  Wesley  and  the 
General  Conference,  one  side  by  Dr.  Clarke,  one  side 
by  Dr.  Fisk,  Mr.  Watson  and  the  General  Confer- 
ence, and  one  side  by  Mr.  Watson.  Now,  as  these 
are  all  standard  authors  in  the  Methodist  Episcopal 
Church,  and  as  the  Articles  of  Religion  of  that  Church 
are  silent  on  the  subject  under  review,  any  minister 
or  layman  in  that  communion  may  embrace  any  or  all 
of  these  conflicting  views,  and  still  be  reputed  orthodox. 


CHAPTER   VIII, 


THE    DECREES    OF    OOD. 


In  this  chapter  we  take  up  the  Decrees  of  God, 
and  if  we  mistake  not,  will  find  the  inconsistency  of 
Arminians  as  great  here  as  on  any  subject  yet  con- 
sidered. The  Calvinistic  view  may  be  briefly  stated  thus: 

*  Theologicallnstitutes,  Part  IL  Chap.  iv. 


THE   DECREES   OF   GOD.  T8 

As  the  knowledge,  wisdom,  goodness  and  power  of 
men  change,  their  principles  and  purposes  of  action 
are  changed  also.  With  the  knowledge  a  man  pos- 
sesses, he  may  determine  how  he  will  act  in  a  given 
case,  but  with  an  increase  of  knowledge,  or  under  an 
impulse  of  passion,  he  may  determine  otherwise. 
With  the  knowledge  he  has  he  may  determine  to  buy 
a  certain  farm,  or  set  out  to  a  distant  city;  but  if  he 
afterwards  learns  that  the  title  to  the  farm  is  worth- 
less, or  that  the  plague  is  in  the  city,  he  changes  his 
purpose.  Now,  if  his  knowledge  had  been  perfect 
from  the  beginning,  his  purpose  would  have  been  fixed 
from  the  beginning.  In  the  common  affairs  of  life, 
all  sensible  men  determine  bwbrehand  how  they  will 
carry  on  their  business,  and  that  determination  is 
formed  in  accordance  with  the  best  information  they 
can  obtain.  In  cases  where  they  must  act,  they  de- 
termine how  they  will  act,  as  soon  as  they  know  how 
they  ought  to  act,  unless  some  unhallowed  influence 
interferes.  Now,  as  the  knowledge  and  wisdom  of 
God  were  always  infinite,  he  must  have  always  known 
how  he  ought  to  act  in  every  case.  His  holiness  being 
perfect,  always  prompts  him  to  decree  to  act  correctly. 
And  his  power  being  infinite,  always  enables  him  to 
act  as  his  holy  attributes  direct.  Now  as  he  was  al- 
ways possessed  of  these  attributes,  he  can  have  no 
accession  of  knowledge  nor  succession  of  ideas.  And 
as  he  always  knew  how  he  ought  to  act,  he  must  have 
eternally  determined  how  he  would  act  in  all  cases  in 
all  time  to  come.  Accordingly,  he  says  of  himself, 
"I  am  the  Lord,  I  change  not;"*  "the  Father  of 
lights,  in  whom  is  no  variableness,  neither  the 
shadow  of  a  turning ;"f  "I  am  God,  and  there  is  none 
like  me,  declaring  the  end  from  the  beginning,  and 
from  ancient  times  the  things  that  are  not  yet  done, 

■ "       *  Malachi  iii,  6.  f  James  iii.  7. 

7 


74  THE   DECREES    OP   GOD. 

saying,  My  counsel  shall  stand,  and  I  will  do  all  my 
pleasure."*  Hence,  Job  says  of  him,  "  He  is  of  one 
mind,  who  can  turn  him;"f  and  Job  says,  "The 
counsel  of  the  Lord  shall  stand  for  ever,  the  thoughts 
of  bis  heart  to  all  generations."! 

The  sacred  writers,  it  is  true,  do  speak  of  changes 
in  God,  but  in  so  doing,  they  "  speak  after  the  manner 
of  men"  in  condescension  to  us.§ 

If  then  "  the  counsel  of  the  Lord  shall  stand  for 
ever,  the  thoughts  of  his  heart  to  all  generations," 
what  he  does,  he  must  have  eternally  intended  to  do; 
and  what  he  permits  to  be  done,  he  must  have  eter- 
nally intended  to  permit.  Accordingly  we  read  of 
our  "  being  predestindBd  according  to  the  purpose  of 
him  who  worketh  all  things  after  the  counsel  of  his 
own  will."||  If  we  inquire,  when  was  this  purpose 
formed?  Paul  answers,  "According  to  the  eternal 
purpose  which  he  purposed  in  Christ  Jesus  our 
Lord."^  The  Shorter  Catechism  of  the  Presbyterian 
Church,  therefore,  in  answer  to  the  question,  "  What 
are  the  decrees  of  God?"  gives  the  following  answer, 
viz. 

"The  decrees  of  God  are  his  eternal  purpose  ac- 
cording to  the  counsel  of  his  will,  whereby  for  his 
own  glory  he  hath  foreordained  whatsoever  comes  to 
pass."** 

Here  it  will  be  observed,  that  the  Catechism  con- 
tains the  exact  sentiment  of  the  Scriptures,  expressed 
in  almost  the  very  language  of  the  Holy  Spirit. 
Some  years  ago  a  young  lawyer  of  our  acquaint- 
ance, on  being  brought  to  a  saving  knowledge  of  the 
truth,  had  the  Presbyterian  Confession  of  Faith  put 
into  his  hands,  under  the  hope,  on  the  part  of  him 
who  loaned  it,  that  it  would  "  set  him  right  in  regard 

*  Isaiah  xliv.  10.         f  Psalm  xxxiii.  11.         J  Job  xxiii.  13. 
§  Rom.  iii.  5.  ||  Eph.  i.  11.  ^  Eph.  iii.  11. 

**  Question  7. 


THE   DECREES   OP  GOD.  W 

to  Calvinism."  After  reading  what  is  said  of  the 
Divine  attributes,  in  Chapter  II.,  and  seeing  that 
what  is  said  in  Chapter  III.  must  follow,  he  remarked, 
to  the  no  little  disappointment  of  his  Arminian  friend, 
*'  I  would  as  leave  read  the  Bible  without  a  God,  as  to 
read  it,  if  it  did  not  teach  predestination." 

But  to  the  doctrine,  that  God  governs  men  accord- 
ing to  fixed  decrees,  it  is  objected  that  it  necessarily 
destroys  the  free  agency  of  man,  and  consequently, 
makes  God  the  author  of  sin. 

To  this  we  reply,  Calvinists  make  a  distinction  be- 
tween the  positive  and  permissive  decrees  of  God. 
That  is,  they  maintain  that  God  has  decreed  posi- 
tively, or  eflScaciously,  all  that  is  good,  and  permis- 
sively  all  that  is  evil ;  and  that  in  decreeing  to  permit 
the  evil,  he  intended  to  bound  it  by  his  holiness  and 
overrule  it  for  good,  so  that  "  the  wrath  of  man  shall 
praise  him  and  the  remainder  of  wrath  he  will  re- 
strain."* Thus  says  the  Confession  of  Faith,  Chapter 
III.  Sec.  1,  "  God  from  all  eternity,  did  by  the  most 
wise  and  holy  counsel  of  his  own  will,  freely  and  un- 
changeably ordain  whatsoever  comes  to  pass,  yet  so 
as  thereby  neither  is  God  the  author  or  approver  of 
sin,  nor  is  violence  done  to  the  will  of  the  creature, 
nor  is  the  liberty  or  contingency  of  second  causes 
taken  away,  but  rather  established." 

Here  then  we  are  taught, 

1.  That  God  has  from  eternity  unchangeably  or- 
dained whatsoever  comes  to  pass. 

2.  That  this  ordination  is  in  such  a  way  that  "  he 
is  not  thereby  the  author  or  approver  of  sin,  nor  is 
violence  offered  to  the  will  of  the  creature,  nor  is  the 
liberty  or  contingency  of  second  causes  (that  is,  means) 
taken  away,  but  rather  established."  If,  therefore, 
man  is  a  free  moral  agent,  (which  no  one  doubts) 

*  Psalm  Ixxvi.  10. 


76  THE   DECREES   OF   GOD. 

it  was  God  who  made  him  free;  and  if  he  made  him 
free,  he  decreed  to  make  him  free ;  so  that  he  is  a  free 
agent  by  the  decree  of  God — a  free  agent  of  neces- 
sity, so  that  he  is  not  free  to  cease  being  free. 

If  it  is  asked.  How  is  this  possible?  the  Confession 
answers,  "Although  in  relation  to  the  fore-knowledge 
of  God,  all  things  come  to  pass  immutably  and  infalli- 
bly, yet,  by  the  same  providence,  he  ordereth  them  to 
fall  out  according  to  the  nature  of  second  causes,* 
either  necessarily,  freely,  or  contingently."f 

"  The  Almighty  power,  unsearchable  wisdom,  and 
infinite  goodness  of  God,  so  far  manifest  themselves 
in  his  providence,  that  it  extendeth  itself  even  to  the 
first  fall,  and  to  all  other  sins  of  angels  and  men,  and 
that,  not  by  a  bare  permission,  but  such  as  hath 
joined  with  it  a  most  holy  bounding,  and  otherwise 
ordering  and  governing  them,  in  a  manifold  dispensa- 
tion, to  his  own  holy  ends,  yet  so  that  the  sinfulness 
thereof  proceedeth  only  from  the  creature,  and  not 
from  God,  who  being  most  holy,  and  righteous,  neither 
is,  nor  can  be,  the  author  or  approver  of  sin."| 

Here  then  we  are  taught, 

1.  That  the  providence  of  God  extendeth  itself  to 
all  sin. 

2.  That  although  God  in  bis  inscrutable  providence 
sees  proper  to  permit  sin,  he  does  not  let  it  take 
its  legitimate  course,  but  has  joined  with  the  permis- 
sion "  a  most  holy  bounding,  and  otherwise  ordering 
and  governing  it  in  a  manifold  dispensation  to  his 
own  holy  ends." 

*  Having  decreed  the  overthrow  of  the  Babylonian  government, 
the  second  causes  were  Cyrus  and  his  army.  Having  decreed  to 
save  the  family  of  Jacob  from  famine,  the  second  causes  were 
Joseph  and  his  brethren.  Having  decreed  the  independence  of  the 
United  States,  the  second  causes  were  the  Declaration  of  Independ- 
ence, George  Washington,  and  his  army,  &c. 

f  Conf.  of  Faith,  Chap.  v.  Sec.  iii.  %  Ibid.  Sec.  iv. 


THE   DECREES   OF   GOD.  17 

3.  That  although  he  permits  sin,  "  the  sinfulness 
thereof  proceedeth  only  from  the  creature,  and  not 
from  God,  who  being  most  holy  and  righteous,  neither 
is,  nor  can  be,  the  author  or  approver  of  it."  That  for 
a  man,  knowingly  to  permit  sin,  when  he  could  pre- 
vent it,  would  be  a  sin,  is  self-evident;  but  it  does  not 
follow  that  it  is  necessarily  so  with  God.  The  Rev. 
R.  Watson  very  correctly  remarks — "  As  we  cannot 
be  judges  of  a  nature  infinite  in  perfection,  nor  of 
proceedings  which  in  the  unlimited  range  of  the  go- 
vernment of  God  may  have  connections  and  bearings 
beyond  all  our  comprehension,  we  cannot  reduce  (them) 
to  a  human  standard."* 

But  to  return  to  the  Confession  of  Faith : 

Chap.  VI.  Sec.  1,  says,  "  Our  first  parents  being 
seduced  by  the  8uhtilty  of  the  devil,  sinned  in  eating 
the  forbidden  fruit.  This,  their  sin,  God  was  pleased 
according  to  his  wise  and  holy  counsel  to  permit,  hav- 
ing purposed  to  order  it  to  his  own  glory."  The 
Larger  Catechism  says,  "  God,  by  his  providence, 
permitted  some  angels  wilfully  and  irrecoverably  to 
fall  into  sin  and  damnation,  limiting  and  controlling 
that,  and  all  their  sins  to  his  own  glory."  Question  19. 

In  an  Explanatory  Catechism  published  in  Scotland 
a  hundred  years  ago,  which  has  ever  since  been  a 
standard  work  in  the  Presbyterian  Church,  and  is 
now  published  by  our  Board  of  Publication,  we  have 
the  following  questions  and  answers,  viz. 

"  Question.  How  do  the  decrees  of  God  extend  to 
things  naturally  and  morally  good  ? 

Ansiver.  Efiectively:  becaused  God  is  the  author 
and  efifective  cause  of  all  good.  Phil.  ii.  13. 

Q.  How  do  they  extend  to  things  morally  evil  ? 

A.  Permissively  and  decretively  only.  Acts  xiv. 
16. 

*  Theological  Institutes,  Part  II.  Chap.  iv. 

7* 


78  THE   DECREES   OF   GOD. 

Q.  Is  the  permissive  decree  a  bare  inactive  permit- 
ting of  evil  ? 

A.  No,  it  determines  the  event  of  the  evil  permit- 
ted and  overrules  it  to  a  good  end  contrary  to  the 
intention  both  of  the  work  and  of  the  worker.  Gen. 
xlv.  8;  1.  20. 

Q.  How  do  you  prove  that  God  cannot  be  the  au- 
thor of  sin  ? 

A.  From  the  contrariety  of  it  to  his  holy  nature 
and  law,  and  the  indignation  he  has  manifested  against 
it  in  what  Christ  suffered  on  account  of  it,  for  he  can 
never  be  the  author  of  that  of  which  he  is  the 
avenger."* 

The  doctrine  of  the  Presbyterian  Church,  in  rela- 
tion to  the  divine  decrees,  then  is, 

1.  That  God  did  foreordain  whatever  comes  to 
pass,  yet  so  that  he  is  not  the  author  or  approver 
of  sin. 

2.  That  his  decrees  not  only  offer  no  violence  to 
the  will  of  the  creature,  but  rather  establish  the  free 
agency  of  man,  the  use  of  means,  &c. 

3.  That  he  has  decreed  positively  all  that  is  good, 
and  permissively  all  that  is  evil. 

4.  That  he  has  joined  with  the  permission  of  evil  a 
most  holy  bounding,  &c. 

We  will  show  next  that  this  Calvinistic  doctrine  of 
the  Presbyterian  Church,  is  a  doctrine  of  the  Metho- 
dist Episcopal  Church. 

The  Rev.  R.  Watson  says,  "If  we  consider  the  na- 
ture of  God,  that  he  is  a  self-existent  and  independent 
Being,  the  great  Creator,  and  wise  Governor  of  all 
things — that  he  is  a  spiritual  and  simple  being,  void 

*  Fisher's  CatecHsm,  page  46.  For  further  proof  on  this  sub- 
ject the  reader  is  referred  to  the  following  books  of  the  Presby- 
terian Board  of  Publication,  viz.  Dr.  Green's  Lectures  on  the 
Shorter  Catechism,  Question  7;  Bible  Dictionary,  Article  "De- 
cree;" Standards  of  the  Presbyterian  Church,"  a  Tract. 


THE   DECREES   OF   GOD.  79 

of  all  parts  and  all  mixtures  that  can  induce  a  change 
— that  he   is   a  sovereign    and  uncontrollable  being 
which  nothing  from  without  can  affect  or  work  an  al- 
teration in — that  he  is  an  eternal  being  which  always 
has,  and  always  will  go  on  in  the  same  tenor  of  his 
existence — an    omniscient    being,    who    knowing    all 
things,  has  no  reason  to  act  contrary  to  his  first  re- 
solves— and  in  all  respects  a  most  perfect  being,  that 
admits  of  no  addition  or  diminution,  we  cannot  but 
believe  that  in  his  essence,  in  his  knowledge,  in  his 
will  and  purposes,  he  must  of  necessity  be  unchange- 
able. ......  We  esteem    changeableness  in  men 

either  an  imperfection  or  a  fault.  Their  natural 
changes  as  to  their  persons  are  from  weakness  and 
vanity.  Their  moral  changes  as  to  their  inclinations 
and  purposes,  are  from  ignorance  or  inconstancy,  and 
therefore  this  quality  is  no  way  compatible  with  the 
glory  and  attributes  of  God."* 

The  reader  will  recollect  that  in  stating  the  Cal- 
vinistic  view  of  the  divine  decrees,  we  argued  that 
they  necessarily  resulted  from  the  divine  attributes. 
He  will  here  discover  that  this  divine  infers  the  de- 
crees of  God  in  the  same  way,  viz..  That  in  conse- 
quence of  his  perfect  attributes,  he  "  has  no  reason  to 
act  contrary  to  his  first  resolves,"  but  that  "in  his 
essence,  knowledge,  will  and  purposes  (or  decrees)  he 
must  of  necessity  be  unchangeable. "f 

Again,  Mr.  Watson  says,  "  The  plans  of  God  reach 
from  the  beginning  to  the  end  of  time;  they  pass  the 

limits  of  time  and  issue  in  eternity And 

thus  it  has  been  from  the  foundation  of  the  world : 
God  subordinating  everything  to  the  counsel  of  his 
own  will,  has  been  making  everything,  whether  bright 

*  Theological  Institutes,  Part  II.  Chap.  v. 

f  It  may  not  be  amiss  to  state  that  the  language  which  Mr.  Wat- 
son here  adopts,  as  expressing  his  own  tIcws,  is  quoted  from  that 
staunch  old  Calvinist,  Charnock. 


80  THE   DECREES   OP   GOD. 

or  dark,  whether  forward  or  retrograde  in  its  move- 
ment, to  accomplish  more  fully  and  illustriously  his 
great  and  glorious  designs."* 

No  one  could  state  more  clearly  and  unequivocally 
the  Oalvinistic  view  of  the  divine  decrees. 

But  we  have  "line  upon  line  and  precept  upon 
precept."  Mr.  Watson,  speaking  of  the  death  of 
Christ,  says  again :  "  We  behold  wicked  men  and 
the  ever  blessed  God  accomplishing  opposite  and  con- 
trary purposes.  The  intention  of  the  Jews  was  suf- 
ficiently obvious — it  was  to  destroy  Christ  and  his 
religion  together.  "If  we  put  him  to  death,"  they 
reasoned,  "we  prove  that  he  is  not  the  Messiah,  and 
the  people  cannot  then  believe  on  him — with  him,  his 
doctrine  and  his  followers  will  perish  also."  Thus  they 
took  counsel  together  against  the  Lord  and  against 
his  Christ.  In  part  they  accomplished  their  purpose, 
and  seemed  fully  to  have  accomplished  it.  They  did 
put  him  to  death.  His  disciples  forsook  him  and  went 
to  their  own  homes.  Doubtless  the  priests  and  elders 
went  from  the  cross  congratulating  themselves  on  the 
success  of  their  attempt  against  his  life  and  against 
his  religion.  Ah,  the  blindness  of  man  !  "  The  coun- 
sel of  the  Lord  standeth  sure."  "He  taketh  the  wise 
in  their  own  craftiness."  Christ,  it  is  true,  was  put 
to  death  by  wicked  men;  but  in  this  they  only  accom- 
plished "  the  determinate  counsel  and  foreknowledge 
of  God."t 

"  What  the  creature  will  do,  is  known  beforehand 
with  a  perfect  prescience;  and  what  God  has  deter- 
mined to  do  in  consequence,  is  made  apparent  by  what 
he  actually  does,  which  is  with  him  no  new,  no  sudden 
thought,  but  known  and  purposed  from  eternity  in 
view  of  the  actual  circumstances."| 

*  Sermon  on  Ezekiel's  Vision. 

f  Sermon  on  the  Final  Hour  of  Christ. 

X  Theological  Institutes,  Part  II.  Chap,  xxviii. 


THE   DECREES   OF  ODD.  81 

"  He  who  is  allowed  to  be  the  First  Cause,  and  the 
principle  of  motion  in  every  created  being;  He  who 
communicated  and  determined  their  respective  powers 
and  capacities,  must  of  course  have  reserved  to  him- 
self the  superior  power,  the  privilege  or  prerogative 
of  suspending,  diverting,  or  in  any  way  overruling 
their  agency;  so  as  may  best  serve  his  wise  purposes, 
which  can  never  be  served  at  all  unless  we  suppose  all 
events  to  be  under  his  inspection,  and  all  councils  to 
be  subject  to  his  pleasure."* 

The  Shorter  Catechism  of  the  Presbyterian  Church 
does  not  express  the  Calvinistic  doctrine  of  the  divine 
decrees  more  unequivocally  than  these  divines  have 
done,  when  it  says, 

"  The  decrees  of  God  are  his  eternal  purpose,  ac- 
cording to  the  counsel  of  his  own  will,  whereby  for 
his  own  glory  he  hath  foreordained  whatsoever  comes 
to  pass."  I 

It  has  already  been  shown  that  Calvinists  make  a 
distinction  between  the  positive  and  permissive  de- 
crees of  God.  We  will  now  show  that  such  a  distinc- 
tion is  recognized  by  the  Methodists  also.  Thus  Mr. 
Wesley,  in  an  attempt  to  show  that  we  derive  great 
advantages  from  the  fall  of  man  (although  in  so  doing, 
he  walks  by  sight,  where  Calvinists  walk  by  faith 
only)  says,  _ 

"Unless  in  Adam  all  had  died,  every  child  of  man 
must  have  personally  answered  for  himself  to  God." 
And  he  asks,  "Who  would  wish  to  hazard  a  whole 
eternity  upon  one  stake?  Is  it  not  infinitely  more 
desirable  to  be  in  a  state  wherein,  though  encompass- 
ed with  infirmities,  we  do  not  run  such  a  desperate 
risk,  but  if  we  fall  we  may  rise  again?"  "Where  then 
is  the  man  that  presumes  to  blame  God  for  not  pre- 

*  Germs  of  Thought,  pp.  76,  77.  First  American  from  the  first 
London  edition.  Published  and  sold  by  N.  Bangs  &  T.  Mason,  for 
the  Methodist  Episcopal  Church.     1821. 


82  THE   DECREES   OP   GOD. 

venting  Adam's  sin?  Should  we  not  rather  bless  him 
from  the  ground  of  the  heart,  for  therein  laying  the 
grand  scheme  of  man's  redemption,  and  making  way 
for  that  glorious  manifestation  of  his  wisdom,  holi- 
ness, justice  and  mercy."  "Although  a  thousand 
particulars  of  his  judgments  and  of  his  ways  are  un- 
searchable to  us,  and  past  finding  out,  yet  we  may 
discern  the  general  scheme  running  through  time  into 
eternity.  According  to  the  counsel  of  his  own  will, 
the  plan  he  laid  before  the  foundation  of  the  world, 
he  created  the  parent  of  mankind  in  his  own  image, 
and  he  permitted  all  men  to  be  made  sinners  by  the 
disobedience  of  this  one  man,  that  by  the  obedience 
of  one,  all,  who  receive  the  free  gift,  may  be  infinitely 
holier  and  happier  to  all  eternity."* 

Here  we  are  taught  that  "all  men  were  permitted 
to  be  made  sinners  by  the  disobedience  of  one, 
according  to  a  plan  laid  before  the  foundation  of  the 
world,"  or,  in  other  words,  a  permissive  decree  joined 
with  "a  most  holy  bounding,"  as  the  Confession  of 
Faith  says. 

Dr.  A.  Clarke  says,  "  All  who  have  read  the  Scrip- 
tures with  care,  know  well  that  God  is  frequently  re- 
presented in  them  as  doing  what  he  only  permits  to 
be  done."t  "All  power  must  originally  emanate 
from  God,  hence,  sin  and  Satan  can  neither  exist  or 
act,  but  as  he  wills  or  permits. "J 

Rev.  R.  Watson  says,  "  The  decrees  of  God  .  .  . 
can  only  scripturally  signify  the  determinations  of  his 
will  in  the  government  of  the  world  he  has  made. 

*  Sermon  on  God's  Love  to  Fallen  Man.  Here  Mr.  Wesley  turns 
Hopkinsian,  and  teaches  that  "sin  is  the  necessary  means  of  the 
greatest  good."  We  have  heard  of  those  who  prayed  that  God  woiild 
forgive  them  for  the  sin  of  Adam,  but  never  before  of  one  who 
thanked  him  for  it,  and  "for  therein  laying  the  grand  scheme  of 
man's  redemption,"  &c.,  since  but  for  that  sin  we  would  not  need 
Fedemption. 

t  Clarke's  Theology,  page  78.  %  Ibid,  page  71. 


THE   DECREES   OP  GOD.  88 

These  determinations  are  plainly  in  Scripture  referred 
to  two  classes,  what  he  has  himself  determined  to  do, 
and  what  he  has  determined  to  permit  to  be  done  by 
free  and  accountable  agents.  He  determined  for  in- 
stance, to  create  man,  and  he  determined  to  permit 
his  fall.  He  determined  also  the  only  method  of  dis- 
pensing pardon  to  the  guilty,  but  he  determined  to 
permit  men  to  reject  it,  and  fall  into  the  punishment 

of  their  offences If  man  has  not  a  real 

agency,  that  is,  if  there  is  a  necessity  above  him  so 
controlling  his  actions  as  to  render  it  impossible  they 
should  be  otherwise,  he  is  in  the  hands  of  another, 
and  not  master  of  himself,  and  so  his  actions  cease  to 
be  his  own.  A  decree  to  permit  involves  no  such  con- 
sequences."* Again  he  says,  "  God  is  under  no 
obligation  of  justice  at  once  to  interpose  and  check 
the  evils  to  which  the  wickedness  of  man  gives 
rise;  but  he  suffers  them  on  the  contrary,  to  ex- 
pend themselves,  in  all  their  injurious  consequences, 
that  men  may  be  taught  wisdom  by  a  bitter  ex- 
perience."t 

"  He  has  permitted  infidelity  to  display  itself  in  its 
full  character,  for  the  warning  and  instruction  of 
mankind."  "This  evil  has  been  permitted  to  exhibit 
itself  upon  a  large  scale."  "He  who  reigneth  hath 
permitted  it  to  exhibit  the  dreadful  effects  upon  the 
happiness  and  interests  of  nations  as  well  as  of  indi- 
viduals, that  it  might  appear  that  'righteousness'  only 
*exalteth  a  nation'  with  durable  prosperity."! 

Other  quotations  might  be  added,  but  let  these  suf- 
fice. They  teach  fully  the  doctrine  of  the  Confession 
of  Faith.  We  will  show  next,  that  the  doctrine  under 
consideration  is  a  comforting  doctrine. 

Thus  says  Wesley,  "  A  serious  clergyman  desired 

*  Theological  Institutes,  Part  II.  Chapter  xxviii. 

f  Sermon  on  the  Reign  of  God.  J  Ibid. 


84  THE  DECREES   OP   GOD. 

to  know  in  what  points  we  (Methodists)  differed  from 
the  Church  of  England;  I  answered,  to  the  best  of  my 
knowledge,  in  none.  The  doctrines  we  teach  are  the 
doctrines  of  the  Church  of  England — indeed,  the  fun- 
damental doctrines  of  the  Church  as  clearly  laid  down 
both  in  her  Prayers,  Articles,  and  Homilies."* 

From  this  it  appears  that  the  doctrinal  views  of  Mr. 
Wesley  and  his  followers  differed  in  nothing  from  the 
doctrines  of  the  Church  of  England.  Now,  as  his 
biographer,  the  Rev.  R.  Watson,  informs,  us,  that  in 
this  statement  Mr.  Wesley  "  stated  his  doctrinal 
views  in  as  clear  a  manner,  though  in  a  summary 
form,  as  at  any  period  subsequently,"!  it  is  only 
necessary  to  turn  to  Article  XVII.  of  the  Church  of 
England  (latter  part)  to  learn  how  he  was  comforted 
by  the  doctrine  of  predestination. 

"The  godly  consideration  of  predestination,  and  of 
our  election  in  Christ,  is  full  of  sweet,  pleasant,  and 
unspeakable  comfort  to  godly  persons,  and  such  as 
feel  in  themselves  the  working  of  the  Spirit  of  Christ, 
mortifying  the  works  of  the  flesh,  and  their  earthly 
members,  and  drawing  up  their  minds  to  high  and 
heavenly  things,  as  well,  because  it  doth  greatly 
establish  and  confirm  their  faith  of  eternal  salvation, 
to  be  enjoyed  through  Christ,  as  because  it  doth 
fervently  kindle  their  love  towards  God." 

From  the  life  of  Mrs.  Hester  Ann  Rodgers  of  the 
Methodist  Episcopal  Church,  published  by  the  Gen- 
eral Conference,  we  make  the  following  extract. 

"I  am  still  kept  in  various  trials.  This  day,  the 
following  letter  was,  as  if  sent  of  God  to  strengthen 
me.  'My  dear  sister,  the  trials  which  a  gracious 
Providence  sends,  or  permits,  may  be  so  many  means 
of  growing  in  grace;  and  particularly  of  increasing 
in   faith,  patience,  and  resignation.     And  are    they 

*  Watson's  Life  of  Wesley,  pp.  76,  77.  f  Ibid. 


THE   DECREES   OP   GOD.  86 

not  all  chosen  for  us  in  infinite  wisdom  and  good- 
ness? So  that  we  may  well  subscribe  to  these 
beautiful  lines : 

'With  patient  mind,  thy  course  of  duty  run; 
God  nothing  does,  or  suffers  to  be  done, 
But  thou  wouldst  do  thyself,  if  thou  couldst  see, 
The  end  of  all  events,  as  well  as  he.'  "* 

The  trials  which  a  gracious  Providence  sends  or 
permits,  include  all  the  trials  we  are  called  to  bear. 
But  these,  whether  sent  or  permitted,  are  "all  chosen 
for  us  in  infinite  wisdom  and  goodness."  This  is 
Calvinism  to  the  core. 

Again,  "God  nothing  does,  or  suffers  to  be  done." 
What  "God  does,  and  suflfers  to  be  done,"  embraces 
all  that  is  done.  Now,  if  the  divine  purposes  em- 
brace all  this,  they  embrace  everything. 

Once  more.  The  Rev.  R.  Watson,  in  his  sermon 
on  "  The  Vision  of  Ezekiel,"  after  stating,  as  we  have 
seen,  that  "  The  plans  of  God  reach  from  the  begin- 
ning to  the  end  of  time — pass  the  limits  of  time  and 
issue  in  eternity;"  and  that  "thus  it  has  been  from 
the  foundation  of  the  world;  God  subordinating 
everything  to  the  counsel  of  his  own  will,  has  been 
making  everything  ....  to  accomplish  more  fully 
and  illustriously  his  great  and  glorious  designs,"  sayp, 
"In  all  the  dispensations  of  Divine  Providence, 
whether  as  to  nations  or  individuals,  there  is  an  end, 
a  design ;  and  to  understand  this  is  a  great  part  of 
the  practical  knowledge  of  man.  In  the  turnings 
and  changings  of  this  mighty  providence  of  God, 
have  your  hopes  been  frustrated,  and  your  plans 
blasted?  The  eyes  are  there;  there  is  an  end  to 
which  this  movement  looks,  of  instruction,  admoni- 
tion, and  reproof — lessons  deeply  important  for  you 

*  Life  of  Mrs.  Rodgers,  page  54. 

8 


86  THE   DECREES   OF   GOD. 

to  learn.  Have  those  turnings  brought  about  some 
unexpected  deliverance,  some  signal  mercy?  The 
eyes  are  there  too;  there  is  a  reference  to  some  great 
practical  end,  to  quicken  thy  zeal,  to  rouse  thy  grati- 
tude, and  to  make  obedience  the  effect  of  an  increas- 
ingly excited  and  strengthened  devotion 

Have  these  wheels  driven  over  and  crushed  your 
comforts,  and  joys,  and  best  earthly  interests?  Still 
are  the  eyes  there.  Perhaps  the  whole  design  has 
not  been  manifested,  and  there  may  be  much  of  mys- 
tery yet;  but  thou  art  called  by  this  dispensation  from 
earth — thou  art  reminded  that  this  is  not  thy  rest, 
Have  these  wheels,  instinct  with  divine  wrath,  turned 
on  some  careless  sinful  man,  and  swept  him  away  in 
his  wickedness?  The  eyes  are  there.  This  is  a 
solemn  and  impressive  warning  to  others,  an  admoni- 
tion against  delays,"  &c. 

The  comfort  derived  in  all  these  cases  is  legiti- 
mate. It  naturally  results  from  the  Calvinistic  doc- 
trine of  the  divine  decrees.  And  if  Methodists  may 
derive  it  in  such  abundance,  the  decrees  of  God  are 
not  so  "  horrible"  after  all.  Having  shown  that  all 
for  which  Calvinists  contend,  in  reference  to  positive 
and  permissive  predestination,  is  taught,  endorsed, 
and  published  by  the  General  Conference  of  the 
Methodist  Episcopal  Church,  and  great  comfort  de- 
rived therefrom,  we  will  show  next  that  the  distinc- 
tion between  the  positive  and  permissive  decrees,  is 
as  directly  and  decidedly  denied  by  Methodists. 

Rev.  Professor  Alcinous  Young  of  the  Pittsburgh 
Conference  says,  "Decree  to  permit!  sounds  very 
strange  indeed.  Surely  the  Presbyterians  must  be 
very  fond  of  the  word  decree.  Where  do  they  find 
this  strange  jumble  of  words?  Decree  to  permit! 
It  is  surely  not  found  in  the  Bible,  unless  they  have 
a  Bible  different  from  mine.     It  is  self-begotten,  and 


THE  DECREES  OF   GOD.  87 

has  jumped  into  the  controversy  to  help  the  Cal- 
vinists."*  Did  Mr.  Young  never  read  Acts  xiv.  16, 
Rom.  i.  24-28,  to  say  nothing  of  the  writers  of  his 
own  Church  we  have  quoted? 

The  Rev.  N.  L.  Bangs  says,  "How  absurd  ia 
it  for  men  who  so  pertinaciously  contend  for  this 
doctrine"  (of  positive  decrees)  "as  the  fundamental 
principle  of  their  system,  to  amuse  their  readers 
by  talking  about  the  permission  of  sin.  Are  they 
secretly  disgusted  with  their  own  scheme,  and  the 
proper  terms  they  have  used  to  convey  appropriate 
ideas  of  it,  and  therefore  have  invented  others, 
because  more  soft?  ....  If  they  mean  by  permis- 
sion, that  God  gave  a  formal  permit,  for  instance,  to 
Adam  and  Eve  to  commit  sin,  and  through  them  to 
all  others,  and  then  left  them  entirely  to  their  own 
agency,  and  the  influence  of  the  serpent,  why  not 
speak  plain  and  let  us  understand  their  meaning."t 

Dr.  Fisk  says,  "  We  protest  in  the  name  of  all  that 
is  pure  in  language,  in  the  name  of  all  that  is  im- 
portant   in    the   sentiment    conveyed   by   language, 

against  such  an  abuse  of  terms Do  the  words 

predestinate,  or  foreordain,  or  decree,  mean  in  com- 
mon language,  or  even  in  their  radical  and  critical 
definition,  nothing  more  than  permit — not  absolutely 
to  hinder — to  submit  to  as  an  unavoidable  but  offen- 
sive evil?"t 

Here  then  we  have  the  Arminianism  of  the  Rev.  N. 
L.  Bangs,  Professor  Young,  President  Fisk,  and  the 
General  Conference,  arrayed  against  the  Calvinism  of 
Wesley,  Mrs.  Rodgers,  Watson,  the  General  Confer- 
ence, and  the  Bible.  But  again,  notwithstanding  the 
unchangeableness  of  God's  purposes  is  admitted,  as 


*  Marriage  Dinner,  page  19. 
t  Reply  to  Haskel,  pp.  20,  21. 
j  Calvinistio  Controversy,  No.  I. 


00  THE  DECEEES   OF   GOD. 

we  have  seen,  it  is^contended  that  he  does  sometimes 
change  them.     Thus  says  the  Rev.  R.  Watson : 

"We  have  instances  of  the  revocation  of  God's  de- 
crees, as  well  as  of  their  conditional  character,  one  of 
which  will  be  suflBcient  for  illustration.  In  the  case 
of  Eli,  'I  said  indeed  that  thy  house,  and  the  house 
of  thy  seed,  should  walk  before  me  for  ever ;  but  now 
saith  the  Lord,  Be  it  far  from  me;  for  them  that 
honour  me  I  will  honour,  and  they  that  despise  me 
shall  be  lightly  esteemed.'  No  passage  can  more 
strongly  refute  the  Calvinistic  notion  of  God's  immu- 
tability, which  they  seem  to  place  in  his  never  chang- 
ing his  purpose,  whereas  in  fact  the  scriptural  doctrine 
is,  that  it  consists  in  his  never  changing  the  princi- 
ples of  his  administration."* 

Although  we  could  easily  make  it  appear  that  "no 
passage"  less  "strongly  refutes  the  Calvinistic  notion 
of  God's  immutability"  than  this,  the  only  one  here 
adduced,  yet  as  there  are  others  much  stronger,  and 
which  are  confidently  relied  on,  we  will  state  them 
ourselves,  and  then  reply  to  the  whole. 

God  said  to  Hezekiah,  "Set  thy  house  in  order,  for 
thou  shalt  die,  and  not  live."  But  on  the  repentance 
of  the  king,  he  said,  "I  have  heard  thy  prayer,  I 
have  seen  thy  tears;  behold  I  will  add  unto  thy  days 
fifteen  years,  "f 

Again,  he  said  to  the  Ninevites  by  the  prophet 
Jonah,  "Yet  forty  days,  and  Nineveh  shall  be  over- 
thrown." But  on  the  repentance  of  the  Ninevites, 
Nineveh  was  not  overthrown. |  The  question  now 
arises.  Did  God  really  ^change  his  "purposes"  in  any 
of  these  cases?  Methodists  themselves  shall  answer 
the  question. 

We  have  already  seen  that  "he  is  in  all  respects  a 

*  Theological  Institutes,  Tart  II.  Chap.  Xiviii. 

f  Isaiah  xxiviii.  1 — 5.  %  Jouah  iii. 


THE  DOCTRINE  OF  ELECTION.  89 

most  perfect  being,"  so  that  "we  cannot  but  believe 
that  in  his  will  and  purposes  (or  decrees)  he  must  of 
necessity  be  unchangeable."  "An  omniscient  being, 
who  knowing  all  things,  has  no  reason  to  act  contrary 
to  his  first  resolves."  If  then  "what  the  house  of 
Eli,  Hezekiah  and  the  Ninevites"  would  do,  was 
known  beforehand  with  a  perfect  prescience,  and  what 
God  determined  to  do  in  consequence,  is  made  known 
by  what  he  actually  did,  and  which  is  with  him  no 
new,  no  sudden  thought,  but  known  and  purposed  from 
eternity  in  view  of  the  actual  circumstances,"*  to  us 
it  is  evident  that  "the  scriptural  doctrine  of  God's 
immutability  consists  in  his  never  changing"  either 
"the  principles"  or  purposes  "of  his  administration." 
We  have  now  shown  that  the  Calvinistic  doctrine 
of  the  divine  decrees,  though  admitted  and  denied  in 
the  Methodist  Church,  is  true.  We  have  seen  also 
that  the  Calvinistic  distinction  between  the  positive 
and  permissive  decrees  of  God,  though  admitted  and 
denied  in  the  same  Church,  is  true  also.  The  great 
Robert  Hall  has,  therefore,  well  remarked,  that  "If 
any  man  says  he  is  a  decided  Arminian,  the  infer- 
ence is,  that  he  is  not  a  good  logician."f 


CHAPTER    IX. 

THE    DOCTRINE    OP    ELECTION. 

On  the  subject  of  this  chapter,  Calvinists  have  long 
been  divided  into  what  are  called  Supralapsarian, 
and  Sublapsarian.  Of  these,  the  former  (who  have 
never  been  more  than  a  very  small  fraction)  suppose 

*  Theological  Institutes,  Part  II.  Chap,  xxviii. 
■}■  Works,  Vol.  iii.  page  35. 

8* 


90  THE   DOCTRINE   OF   ELECTION. 

that  in  the  decree  of  election,  God  regarded  the 
human  family  without  any  reference  to  their  fall  and 
sinfulness.  The  latter  maintain  that  he  contemplated 
them  as  fallen  in  Adam,  and  totally  depraved ;  "  by 
nature  the  children  of  wrath,"*  and  under  sentence 
of  "condemnation."t  That  in  view  of  this  "he  did 
not  leave  all  men  to  perish  in  the  estate  of  sin  and 
misery,  into  which  they  fell  by  the  breach  of  the  first 
covenant,  commonly  called  the  covenant  of  works;"| 
"  but  according  to  his  eternal  and  immutable  purpose, 
and  the  secret  counsel  of  his  will,  he  hath  chosen 
in  Christ,  unto  everlasting  glory,  out  of  his  mere  free 
grace  and  love,  without  any  foresight  of  faith  or  good 
works,  or  perseverance  in  either  of  them,  or  any 
other  thing  in  the  creature,  as  conditions,  or  causes 
moving  him  thereunto;  and  all  to  the  praise  of  his 
glorious  grace. "§ 

On  these  points  the  mind  of  Calvin  does  not 
appear  to  have  been  entirely  settled ;  consequently, 
he  wrote  sometimes  as  a  Supralapsarian,  and,  at 
others,  as  a  Sublapsarian.  And  hence  his  assailants 
quote  him  when  he  wrote  as  the  former,  and  his 
defenders  quote  him  when  he  wrote  as  the  latter. 
The  Presbyterian  Board  of  Publication,  therefore,  in 
giving  to  the  public  a  new  edition  of  his  Institutes, 
say  expressly  that  "  some  of  his  expressions  in  refer- 
ence to  the  doctrine  of  reprobation,  may  be  regarded 
as  too  unqualified,"  and  that  "we  do  not  wish  to  be 
regarded  as  adopting  all  the  sentiments  and  forms  of 
expression  of  the  venerated  writer. "1| 

All  who  adopt  the  Confession  of  Faith  and  Cate- 
chisms of  the  Presbyterian  Church,  are  Sublapsarian. 

*  Ephesians  ii.  3.  f  Rom.  v.  16,  18. 

X  Larger  Catechism,  Question  30. 
§  Confession  of  Faith,  Chap.  iii.  Sec.  v. 

II  See  advertisement  to  the  edition  of  Calvin's  Institutes  by  the 
Presbyterian  Board  of  Publication. 


THE   DOOTRINB  OF  ELECTION.  91 

This  is  true  also  of  the  Calvinists  we  are  about  to 
notice. 

Mr.  Wesley,  speaking  of  God,  says,  "  According 
to  the  counsel  of  his  own  will,  the  plan  he  laid  before 
the  foundation  of  the  world,  he  created  the  parent  of 
all  mankind  in  his  own  image,  and  he  permitted  all 
men  to  be  made  sinners  by  the  disobedience  of  this 
one  man,  that  by  the  obedience  of  one,  all  who 
receive  the  free  gift  may  be  infinitely  holier  and  hap- 
pier to  all  eternity."* 

Mr.  Wesley  here  teaches  distinctly  that  the  plan 
of  man's  salvation  was  laid  before  the  foundation  of 
the  world,  in  view  of  the  fall. 

Dr.  risk  says,  "  None  of  us  deny  but  that  Jesus 
Christ  was  delivered  up  to  suffer  and  die,  by  the 
determinate  counsel  and  foreknowledge  of  God."f 
Again  he  says,  "As  God  foresaw  they  (Adam  and 
Eve)  would  sin,  he  also  determined  upon  the  plan  he 
would  pursue  in  reference  to  them  as  sinners."|  In 
other  words,  the  plan  of  salvation. 

Evidently  then,  "the  determinate  counsel"  under 
which  "  Jesus  Christ  was  delivered  up  to  suffer  and 
die"  was  formed  before  man  had  sinned,  or  as  the 
Apostle  Peter  expresses  it,  "before  the  foundation  of 
the  world  ;"§  and  so,  in  view  of  man,  as  fallen. 

The  Rev.  R.  Watson  says,  "  The  great  plan  of 
redeeming  mercy  was  formed  in  eternity;  there  infi- 
nite wisdom  arranged  and  infinite  love  cherished  it. 
The  world  was  framed  for  its  manifestations,  but  the 
times  and  the  seasons  were  reserved  by  the  Father 
in  his  own  power."|| 

Again  he  says,  "The  redemption  of  man  by  Christ 
was  not  certainly  an  after  thought,  brought  in  upon 

*  Sermon  on  God's  Love  to  Fallen  Man. 

f  Calvinistic  Controversy,  the  Sermon.  J  Ibid.   No.  I. 

2  1  Peter  i.  20.         ||  Sermon  on  the  Cherubim  and  Mercy  Seat. 


92  THE  DOCTRINE   OP   ELECTION. 

man's  apostasy.  It  was  a  provision,  and  when  man 
fell,  he  found  justice  hand  in  hand  with  mercy."* 

We  have  now  seen  that  "  all  are  born  under  the 
guilt  of  Adam's  sin,  and  that  all  sin  deserves  eternal 
misery"!  —  that  "the  law  inflicts  the  penalty  of 
death  upon  every  act  of  disobedience — that  all  men 
have  come  under  that  penalty,"|  and  that  "all  moral 
depravity  derived  or  contracted,  is  damning  in  its 
nature"§ — that  "there  was  nothing  in  all  the  charac- 
ter and  circumstances  of  the  fallen  family,  except 
their  sin  and  deserved  misery,  that  could  claim  the 
interposition  of  God's  saving  power;"  and  "that  it 
was  pure  unmerited  love  that  induced  God  to  pro- 
vide salvation  for  our  world. "|| 

If  then  "man  has  forfeited  good  of  every  kind  and 
even  life  itself  by  his  transgressions,"**  it  follows  that 
Mr.  Watson  is  correct  when  he  says,  "  God  has  a 
right  to  select  whom  he  pleases  to  enjoy  special  privi- 
leges"— that  "in  this  there  is  nounrighteousness."tf 
And  that  Dr.  Clarke  is  correct  also  when  he  says,  he 
"  dispenses  his  benefits,  where,  when  and  to  whom  he 
pleases ;  (and)  no  person  can  complain  of  his  conduct 
in  these  respects,  because  no  person  deserves  any 
good  from  his  hands."|| 

Mr.  Wesley  says  accordingly,  "With  regard  to 
unconditional  election  I  believe  that  God,  before  the 
foundation  of  the  world,  did  unconditionally  elect 
certain  persons  to  do  certain  works,  as  Paul  to  preach 
the  gospel;  that  he  has  unconditionally  elected  some 
nations  to  hear  the  gospel,  as  England  and  Scotland 
now,  and  many  others  in  past  ages :  that  he  has  un- 

*  Theological  Institutes,  Part  II.  Chap,  xviii. 

f  Doctrinal  Tracts,  page  246. 

X  Theological  Institutes,  Part  II.  Chap,  xxiii. 

I  Calvinistic  Controversy,  the  Sermon.  ||  Ibid. 

**  Theol.  Inst.  Part  II.  Chap,  xxiii.  f  f  Ibid.  Chap.  xxvi. 

Xt  Clarke's  Theology,  page  76. 


THE  DOCTRINE  OF  ELECTION.  9» 

conditionally  elected  some  persons  to  many  peculiar 
advantages,  both  with  regard  to  temporal  and  spirit- 
ual things  ;  and  I  do  not  deny,  though  I  aannot  prove 
it  so,  that  he  has  unconditionally  elected  some  per- 
sons to  eternal  glory."* 

We  have  seen  already  that  Mr.  Wesley  and  the 
Methodists  of  his  day  "differed  in  nothing  from  the 
doctrines  of  the  Church  of  England,  as  clearly  laid 
down  in  her  Prayers,  Articles  and  Homilie8."t  It 
is  only  necessary  therefore  to  quote  a  part  of  Article 
XVII.  of  that  Church  to  ascertain  what  were  their 
views  in  reference  to  the  doctrine  of  election. 

"Predestination  to  eternal  life  is  the  everlasting 
purpose  of  God,  whereby,  before  the  foundations  of 
the  world  were  laid,  he  hath  constantly  decreed  by 
his  counsel,  secret  to  us,  to  deliver  from  curse  and 
damnation,  those  whom  he  hath  chosen  in  Christ  out 
of  mankind,  and  to  bring  them  by  Christ,  to  everlast- 
ing salvation,  as  vessels  of  mercy." 

No  Calvinistic  writer  or  formulary  ever  stated  the 
doctrine  more  distinctly  and  unequivocally. 

The  Rev.  R.  Watson  and  the  General  Conference 
are  about  as  explicit.  Speaking  of  the  ninth  chapter 
of  the  Epistle  to  the  Romans  they  say,  "  We  have  in 
it  several  instances  of  unconditional  election.  Such 
was  that  of  the  descendants  of  Isaac  to  be  God's  vis- 
ible Church,  in  preference  to  those  of  Ishmael.  Such 
was  that  of  Jacob  to  the  exclusion  of  Esau,  which 
election  was  declared  when  the  children  were  yet  in 
the  womb,  before  they  had  done  good  or  evil,  so  that 
the  blessing  of  the  special  covenant  did  not  descend 
upon  the  posterity  of  Jacob  because  of  any  righteous- 
ness in  their  progenitor.  In  like  manner  when  Al- 
mighty God  determined  no  longer  to  found  his  visible 

*  Works,  Vol.  iii.  page  289. 

f  Watson's  Life  of  Wesley,  pages  76,  77. 


94  THE   DOCTRINE   OF   ELECTION. 

Church  upon  natural  descent,  from  Abraham  in  the 
line  of  Isaac  and  Jacob,  nor  in  any  line  according  to 
the  flesh,  bat  to  make  faith  in  his  Son  Jesus  Christ 
the  gate  of  admission  into  this  privilege,  he  acted  ac- 
cording to  the  same  sovereign  pleasure 

A  man  of  Macedonia  appears  to  Paul  in  a  vision  by 
night,  and  cries,  '  Come  over  into  Macedonia  and 
help  us.'  But  we  have  no  reason  to  believe  that  the 
Macedonians  were  better  than  other  gentiles,  although 
they  were  elected  to  the  privileges  and  advantages  of 
evangelical  ordinances.  So  in  modern  times,  parts  of 
Hindostan  have  been  elected  to  receive  the  gospel, 
and  yet  its  inhabitants  presented  nothing  more  worthy 
of  this  election  than  the  people  of  Thibet  or  Califor- 
nia, who  have  not  yet  been  elected."* 

Again  they  say,  "  Of  a  divine  election,  or  choosing 
and  separating  from  others,  we  have  three  kinds  men- 
tioned in  the  Scriptures: 

"  The  first  is  the  election  of  individuals  to  perform 
some  particular  and  special  service,"  &c. 

"  The  second  is  the  election  of  nations,  or  bodies  of 
people  to  eminent  religious  privileges,  in  order  to  ac- 
complish by  their  superior  illumination  the  merciful 
purposes  of  God,  in  benefitting  other  nations  or  bodies 
of  people,"  &c. 

"  The  third  kind  of  election  is  personal  election ;  or 
the  election  of  individuals  to  be  the  children  of  God 
and  the  heirs  of  eternal  life."t 

But  if  they  are  elected  "  to  be  the  children  of  God," 
their  election  must  precede  their  regeneration,  and  if 
so,  they  are  not  elected  conditionally,  or  because  they 
are  the  children  of  God.  This,  it  is  proper  to  remark, 
is  all  for  which  Calvinists  contend. 

Again  they  say,  "The  phrases  'eternal  election,' 
and  'eternal  decree  of  election,'  so  often  on  the  lips 

*  Theological  Institutes,  Part  II.  Chap.  xxvi.  f  Ibid. 


THE  DOCTRINE   OP  ELECTION.  96 

of  the  Calvinists,  can  in  common  sense  mean  only  an 
eternal  purpose  to  elect,  or  a  purpose  formed  in  eter- 
nity to  elect  or  choose  out  of  the  world  and  sanctify 
in  time,  by  the  Spirit  and  blood  of  Jesus.  This  is  a 
doctrine  no  one  will  contend  with  them."* 

Here  then  the  dispute  closes.  For  if  any  one  will 
show  the  difFerence  between  "an  eternal  purpose  to 
choose  out  of  the  world  and  sanctify,"  and  the  eter- 
nal choice  of  those  individuals  to  sanctification,  he 
shall  be  "Magnus  Apollo."  Arminians  without  ex- 
ception contend,  that  election  is  not  unto,  but  after 
sanctification.  Here,  however,  that  point  is  given 
up  and  the  Calvinistic  view  admitted  by  the  most  pro- 
minent Arminian  authorities.  Having  now  shown 
that  the  Calvinistic  doctrine  of  election  of  the  Pres- 
byterian Church,  is  as  distinctly  taught  in  the  Metho- 
dist Church  as  it  is  in  the  Presbyterian  Confession  of 
Faith,  we  will  proceed  to  show, 

I.  That  this  doctrine  is  stamped  on  the  face  of  na- 
ture.    This  appears 

1.  In  the  peculiar  advantages  of  country,  govern- 
ment, &c.,  which  some  enjoy. 

The  people  of  the  United  States  do  certainly  pos- 
sess a  country  which  in  point  of  excellence  has  not  an 
equal,  and  a  government  which  in  point  of  wisdom  is 
without  a  parallel.  As  a  people,  we  enjoy  a  degree 
of  prosperity  and  happiness  the  most  astonishing. 
But  who  stretched  out  these  valleys,  and  reared  these 
mountains,  and  coursed  these  beautiful  rivers?  Who 
gave  fertility  to  our  soil,  variety  and  abundance  to  our 
productions,  value  to  our  minerals,  health  to  our  climate, 
and  happiness  to  our  people,  for  each  of  which  par- 
ticulars this  country  is  so  remarkable?  Is  the  govern- 
ment under  which  we  live,  the  work  of  the  present 
generation  ?     But  above  all,  who  arranged  it  that  this 

*  Theological  Institutes,  Part  II.  Chapter  xxvi. 


99  THE  DOCTRINE   OP  ELECTION. 

blest  land  should  be  the  place  of  our  birth?  Was  it 
not  He  that  "hath  made  of  one  blood  all  nations  of 
men,  for  to  dwell  on  all  the  face  of  the  earth,  and  hath 
determined  the  times  before  appointed,  and  the  bounds 
of  their  habitations?"* 

2.  In  parentage,  ancestry,  &c. 

That  distinguished  parentage  is  a  privilege,  need 
not  be  proved.  But  who  is  the  giver  of  parents,  or 
so  arranges  the  circumstances  in  which  we  are  born 
that  wealth  and  honour  are  the  birthright  of  some, 
while  poverty  and  disgrace  are  the  birthright  of 
others?  Who  arranged  it  that  while  one  is  born  a 
savage,  or  a  slave,  or  both  united,  another  is  born  to 
freedom  and  civilization  ?  Who  arranged  it  that 
some  are  born  of  parents  so  pious,  and  in  circum- 
stances so  favourable,  that  everything  around  them 
tends  to  fit  them  for  distinction  and  piety  in  time,  and 
happiness  in  eternity,  while  others  are  born  of  pa- 
rents so  wicked,  and  in  ^circumstances  of  such  igno- 
rance and  wickedness,  that  the  whole  tendency  of 
their  experience  is  to  bring  the  "  iniquities  of  the 
fathers  upon  the  children?" 

3.  Superior  health,  strength,  beauty,  &c.,  are  the 
result  of  the  same  divine  arrangement. 

That  health  and  strength  are  blessings  we  cannot 
but  value,  and  beauty  a  grace  we  cannot  but  admire, 
requires  no  argument.  But  who  so  arranged  it  that 
some  from  infancy  should  be  so  feeble,  that  no  matter 
with  what  care  they  live,  they  eat  their  bread  in  sor- 
row, while  others  have  such  vigour,  that  no  matter 
how  prodigal  of  health,  they  scarce  know  pain  or  sick- 
ness? Who  arranged  it  that  some  should  be  so  de- 
formed that  life  is  scarce  a  blessing,  while  others  are 
80  fair,  we  scarcely  think  them  human  ?  Who  arranged 
it  that  some  should  be  born  with  all  the  senses,  while 

*  Acts  xvii.  26. 


THE   DOCTRINE   OF  ELECTTOIT.  97 

otliers  are  without  sight  or  hearing?  May  it  not  be 
said,  as  Christ  has  said,  that  "neither  hath  this  man 
sinned,  nor  his  parents,  that  he  should  be  born  blind, 
but  that  the  works  of  God  should  be  manifest  in 
him?"* 

4.  A  similar  providential  arrangement  appears  in 
the  various  degrees  of  intellect  among  the  human 
family.  For  while  the  minds  of  some  are  so  feeble 
that  accountability  is  doubtful,  the  minds  of  others 
are  so  amazing  we  almost  deify  them.  And  though 
much  maybe  done  to  develope  what  is  excellent  in  all, 
it  is  just  as  impossible  to  put  them  on  an  equality  as 
it  would  be  to  give  to  iron  the  lustre  of  silver,  or  to 
copper  the  value  of  gold. 

5.  The  same  discrimination  appears  throughout 
living  nature.  It  appears  in  the  different  grades  of 
animals,  from  the  insect  so  small  as  scarcely  to  be 
visible,  to  the  huge  mastodon,  under  whose  majestic 
tread  the  earth  was  made  to  tremble.  It  is  seen  in 
the  different  size,  appearance  and  dispositions  of  ani- 
mals of  the  same  species,  and  among  the  holy  beings 
around  the  throne  of  God_  there  are  cherubim  and 
seraphim,  angels  and  archangels. 

Now  why  was  not  man  endowed  with  mind  and 
glory  such  as  Gabriel  hath  ?  But  why  again,  is  man 
superior  to  the  brute?  Not  more  certainly  is  there 
"  one  glory  of  the  sun,  and  another  glory  of  the  moon, 
and  another  glory  of  the  stars,  and  that  one  star  dif- 
fereth  from  another  star  in  glory,"  than  that  God 
made  the  difference. 

6.  God  shows  the  same  distinguishing  sovereignty 
in  giving  to  some  a  longer  term  of  natural  life  than  to 
others. 

"  Within  a  day,  a  month,  or  a  year  after  accounta- 
bility commences,  some   are   hurried   to   their  final 

*  John  iii.  9. 


98  THE  DOCTRINE  OF  ELECTION. 

doom.  Others  are  spared  amid  the  means  of  grace 
for  eighty  years,  and  then  brought  to  a  saving  know- 
ledge of  the  truth.  One  day  to  some,  a  few  days  to 
others,  and  ten  or  twenty  thousand  days  to  others."* 
II.  Having  seen  what  a  vast  difference  there  is  in  na- 
turfe,  let  us  see  whether  there  is  not  a  similar  differ- 
ence in  grace  also.     This  appears 

1.  In  having  provided  salvation  for  some  only,  of 
the  fallen. 

The  rebel  angels  once  stood  high  as  Gabriel 
Stands ;  but,  being  lifted  up  with  pride,  they 
Fell  to  hopeless  depths  of  woe.     Man  once  in 
Eden  dwelt  in  innocence,  and  talked 
With  God.     But  presuming  to  be  wise  above 
Himself,  he  sinned  and  fell,  and  awful 
Was  the  fall. 

But  mark  the  difference.  For  fallen  man  a  Saviour 
is  provided,  and  at  a  cost  an  angel  cannot  calculate, 
yet  no  salvation  was  ever  provided  for  fallen  angels. 
The  Son  of  God  took  not  on  him  the  nature  of  angels, 
but  he  took  on  him  the  seed  of  Abraham. f 

"  The  Saviour  did  not  join, 
Their  nature  to  his  own; 
For  them  he  shed  no  blood  divine, 
Nor  heaved  a  single  groan." 

"What  a  world  of  vain  imagination  is  swept  away 
by  this  single  fact,  and  how  it  sweeps  away  the  Avhole 
ground-work  of  the  supposition  that  God  treats  all  the 
guilty  alike."! 

2.  God  exercised  a  similar  sovereignty  in  making 
the  Jews  only,  for  many  ages,  the  repositories  of  his 
word. 

There  were  the  Egyptians,  famed  for  their  wisdom  ; 
the  Chaldeans  and  Assyrians,  wise,  great  and  pow- 

*  Dr.  Ruffner  f  Heb.  ii.  16.  J  Dr.  Ruffner. 


THE  DOCTRINE   OF  ELECTION.  99 

erful ;  the  Persians,  who,  by  their  strength  and  policy 
almost  subdued  the  world.  There  were  the  Greeks 
and  Romans,  the  extent  of  whose  dominions,  the 
fame  of  whose  power,  and  the  excellence  of  whose  go- 
vernment had  no  equal  in  ancient  times.  Yet  God 
passed  these  by,  but  "made  known  his  ways  unto 
Moses,  his  acts  unto  the  children  of  Israel."  Psalm 
ciii.  7. 

It  was  in  view  of  this  that  Moses  said,  "  The  Lord 
hath  chosen  thee  to  be  a  peculiar  people  unto  him- 
self, above  all  the  nations  that  are  upon  the  earth;"* 
and  that  David  said,  "  Thou  hast  not  dealt  so  with 
any  nation ;"  and  that  the  Apostle  Paul,  in  answer 
to  the  interrogatory,  "  What  advantage  hath  the  Jew, 
and  what  profit  is  there  in  circumcision?"  said, 
"  Much  every  way,  but  chiefly  because  that  unto  them 
were  committed  the  oracles  of  God."  Rom.  iii.  1,  2. 
Now  these  advantages  were  not  conferred  on  the 
Jews  because  they  were  distinguished  as  a  nation. 
"  The  Lord  did  not  set  his  love  upon  you,  nor  choose 
you  because  ye  were  more  in  number  than  any 
people,  for  ye  were  the  fewest  of  all  people."t 
Neither  was  it  on  account  of  their  greater  righteous- 
ness. "  Understand,  therefore,  that  the  Lord  thy 
God  giveth  thee  not  this  good  land  to  possess  it  for 
thy  righteousness,  for  thou  art  a  stifl"-necked  people."J 

III.  The  same  distinguishing  sovereignty  is  asserted 
again  and  again  in  the  New  Testament. 

1.  In  the  bestowment  of  temporal  favours. 

Thus,  our  Saviour,  preaching  in  the  synagogue  of 
Nazareth,  said,  "I  tell  you  of  a  truth,  many  widows 
were  in  Israel  in  the  days  of  Elias,  when  the  heavens 
were  shut  up,  three  years  and  six  months,  when 
great  famine  was  throughout  all  the  land,  but  unto 
none  of  them  was  Elias  sent,  save  unto  Sarepta,  a 

*  Deut.  xiv.  2,  f  Deut.  vii.  7.  J  Deut.  ix.  6. 


100  THE   DOCTRINE   OF   ELECTION. 

city  of  Sidon,  to  a  woman  that  was  a  widow.  And 
many  lepers  were  in  Israel  in  the  time  of  Eliseus  the 
prophet,  and  none  of  them  was  cleansed,  but  Naaman 
the  Syrian."* 

Here  we  see  the  "widows  of  Israel"  neglected, 
while  the  wants  of  one  of  the  doomed  Canaanites 
were  supplied ;  and  the  lepers  of  Israel  passed  by, 
while  "Naaman  the  Syrian  was  cleansed."  It  is 
worthy  of  remark  also,  that  when  the  doctrine  under 
discussion  was  preached  by  our  Saviour  himself,  it 
awakened  as  decided  opposition  as  at  any  time  since. 
For  it  is  immediately  added,  "  And  all  they  of  the 
synagogue  when  they  heard  these  things,  were  filled 
with  wrath,  and  ij-ose  up  and  thrust  him  out  of  the 
city,  and  led  him  to  the  brow  of  the  hill  whereon 
their  city  was  built,  that  they  might  cast  him  down 
headlong."  It  is  a  great  mistake,  therefore,  in  any 
one  to  date  Arminianism  back  no  farther  than  to 
James  Arminius. 

2.  In  the  spread  of  the  gospel  among  different 
nations. 

This  is  admitted,  as  we  have  seen.  But  why  was 
not  the  gospel  sent  to  all,  as  much  as  to  those  to 
whom  it  has  been  sent?  "Were  we  better  than 
they?  No,  in  no  wise,  for  we  are  all  under  sin." 
Rom.  iii.  9. 

3.  In  the  bestowment  of  converting  grace. 

Passing  by  millions  of  infants,  God  sanctified  Jere- 
miah and  John  the  Baptist  from  the  womb.f  Passing 
by  millions  of  other  children  equally  as  good  by  na- 
ture, he  regenerated  Samuel  and  Timothy,  probably 
in  childhood.!  Passing  by  a  whole  company  of  fe- 
males, he  so  "  opened  the  heart  of  Lydia  that  she 
attended  to  the  things  that  were  spoken  of  Paul."§ 

*  Luke  iv.  25 — 27.  f  Jeremiah  i.  5;  Luke  i.  15. 

tl  Sam.  i.  28;  ii.  21,  26.  §  Acts  xvi.  14. 


THE  DOCTRINE  OP  ELECTION.  101 

Passing  by  a  whole  band  of  persecutors,  he  made  Saul 
of  Tarsns,  their  infuriated  leader,  a  "vessel  of 
mercy."* 

In  reference  to  this  last,  the  Rev.  R.  Watson  says, 
"  Can  a  man  be  conceived  to  be  further  from  Chris- 
tianity than  Saul,  the  moment  prior  to  his  reception 
of  it?  Then  was  he  nearest  the  very  gate  of  hell, 
when  just  about  to  enter  the  gate  of  the  kingdom  of 
heaven.  What  a  state  is  that  which  the  historian 
describes !  '  Then  Saul,  breathing  out  threatenings 
and  slaughter.'  His  heart  was  hot  within  him — it 
burned  with  rancour  and  cruelty — his  breath  was 
flame — imprecations  and  threats  were  vomited  from 
that  heart  through  that  mouth — the  volcano  of  his 
breast  heaved  and  swelled  and  poured  its  streams  of 
fire  on  every  side.  A  hotter  brand  surely  was  never 
quenched  in  the  blood  of  the  Saviour.  .  .  .  All  the 
softer  feelings,  like  doves  in  a  tempest,  scared  and 
scattered  by  the  rage  and  uproar  of  his  malignant 
passions,  shrank  into  the  recesses  of  his  soul,  nor 
dared  to  interpose  and  look  out.  Only  a  miracle 
could  reclaim  such  a  man.  That  such  a  man  was  con- 
verted is,  itself,  proof  of  a  miracle. "f 

And  so  in  thousands  of  cases  where  the  more  guilty 
are  taken,  and  the  less  guilty  are  left.  "  Here  for 
example,  is  a  profligate  wretch,  so  long  accustomed  to 
sin,  that  his  heart  is  hard,  like  the  nether  millstone. 
His  conscience  is  so  seared,  that  his  depravity  fer- 
ments within  him.  For  some  reason,  he  scarce  knows 
what,  he  has  come  to  the  house  of  God,  perhaps  to 
mock  at  sacred  things.  In  a  little  while  his  attention 
becomes  fixed  on  the  minister.  Next,  the  tears  begin 
to  flow.  But  why  is  this  ?  Nothing  very  special  has 
been  said.  Those  around  him  are  unmoved.  The 
congregation  is  dismissed,  and  the  people  retire  a3 

*  Acts  ix.  f  Sermon  on  the  Conversion  of  Saul. 

9* 


102  THE   DOCTRINE   0¥  ELECTION. 

usual,  but  he  goes  away  with  his  head  hanging  down. 
His  companions  notice  this,  and  inquire  the  cause. 
He,  in  reply,  tries  to  drive  away  his  feelings;  but 
the  very  effort  seems  to  cause  the  truth  to  wound 
more  deeply,  like  a  barbed  arrow  in  a  flying  deer. 
His  guilt  at  length  becomes  so  great  a  burden  that 
he  cries  to  God  for  mercy,  seeks  what  he  lately 
shunned,  and  finds  that  peace  Avhich  is  essential  to 
the  new-born  soul."*  This,  we  admit,  is  not  an  ordi- 
nary case,  for  it  is  not  usual  for  the  more  thoughtless 
to  be  taken,  while  the  more  thoughtful  are  left,  but 
they  sometimes  are,  and  are  converted  in  a  moment. 
Others  are  more  gradually  drawn  by  a  more  gentle 
influence.  Others  resist  their  impressions,  but  in  vain. 
Others  get  rid  of  them  for  a  time,  but  again  they  re- 
turn, until  "  He  who  commanded  the  light  to  shine  out 
of  darkness,  shines  into  their  hearts  to  give  them  the 
light  of  the  glory  of  God  in  the  face  of  Jesus  Christ." 
Some,  on  the  other  hand,  "although  they  may  be 
called  by  the  ministry  of  the  word,  and  may  have 
some  common  operations  of  the  Spirit,  yet  they  never 
truly  come  to  Christ."t  Others  are  powerfully  awak- 
ened, but  soon  lose  their  impressions  for  ever.  Now 
"all  this  worketh  that  one  and  the  self-same  Spirit, 
dividing  to  every  man  severally  as  he  will. "J 

4.  This  accords  with  the  experience  of  the  people 
of  God.  If  we  ask  pious  people  of  any  denomina- 
tion of  Christians  to  tell  their  experience,  they  will 
give  substantially  the  same  account.  One  will  say, 
"  I  led  a  very  thoughtless  life,  and  though  often  urged 
to  attend  to  the  subject  of  religion,  I  made  excuse, 
until  I  was  led  to  hear  a  sermon  I  shall  never  forget. 
The  Lord  sent  it  home  to  my  heart  with  such  power, 
that  I  could  find  no  peace  until  I  found  it  in  believing." 

*  Dr.  Ruffner.  f  Confession  of  Faith,  Chap.  X.  Sec  iv. 

X  Cor.  xii.  11. 


THE  DOCTRINE  OF  ELECTION.  108 

Another  will  say,  "  I  was  living  without  God,  my 
heart  being  set  supremely  on  the  world,  and  such  I 
am  sure  I  should  have  remained  to  this  day,  but  for 
the  interposition  of  redeeming  mercy  and  sovereign 
grace.  God  called  me  by  the  voice  of  affliction,  and 
though  at  first  I  heeded  not,  he  still  followed  me  with 
one  affliction  after  another,  until  I  was  constrained  to 
render  to  him  my.whole  heart." 

A  third  will  say,  "  There  is  nothing  very  special  in 
my  case.  I  led  a  very  careless  life  until  I  was  brought 
to  reflect  on  how  I  had  neglected  my  soul,  and  while 
thus  reflecting,  I  secretly  resolved  to  seek  salvation 
by  the  use  of  the  appointed  means.  The  more  I  read 
and  heard  and  prayed,  the  more  I  became  impressed 
with  my  sinfulness  and  danger,  and  the  importance  of 
eternal  things,  until  through  great  mercy  I  was  led 
to  cast  myself  entirely  on  the  helpless  sinner's 
friend."* 

"He  rescued  me  from  sin  and  hell, 

And  by  his  power  my  foes  controlled; 
He  saw  me  wandering  far  from  God, 
And  brought  me  to  his  chosen  fold." 

"You  have  objections  to  the  doctrine  of  election," 
said  the  Rev.  John  Newton,  writing  to  a  friend  ;  "you 
will  admit,  however,  that  the  Scriptures  do  speak  of 
it,  especially  Paul,  and  that,  too,  in  terms  very  strong 
and  expressive.  I  have  met  with  some  sincere  people 
who  told  me  they  could  not  bear  to  read  the  eighth 
and  ninth  chapters  of  his  Epistle  to  the  Romans,  but 
always  passed  them  over.  So  that  their  aversion  to 
the  doctrine  prejudiced  them  against  the  Scriptures 
also.  But  why  so,  unless  because  the  dreaded  doctrine 
is  maintained  there  too  plainly  to  be  evaded  ?t     You 

*  These  cases,  with  slight  changes,  are  taken  from  Fairchild's 
"Great  Supper." 
f  Whitefield,  writing  to  Mr.  Wesley,  says,  "Honoured  sir,  how 


104  THE  DOCTRINE  OP  ELECTION. 

will  say,  however,  that  some  writers  and  teachers  at- 
tempt to  put  an  easier  sense  upon  the  Apostle's  words. 
Let  us  judge  then,  as  I  lately  proposed,  from  experi- 
ence. Admitting  what  I  am  sure  you  will  admit,  the 
total  depravity  of  human  nature,  how  are  we  to  ac- 
count for  the  conversion  of  a  soul  to  God  unless  we 
admit  an  election  of  grace?  The  work  must  begin 
somewhere.  Either  the  sinner  first  seeks  the  Lord, 
or  the  Lord  first  seeks  the  sinner.  If  the  God  of  this 
world  has  blinded  our  eyes,  and  maintains  possession 
of  our  hearts — if  the  carnal  mind,  so  far  from  being 
disposed  to  seek  God,  is  enmity  against  him,  God  may 
seek  the  sinner,  but  the  unawakened  sinner  never 
seeks  God.  Let  me  appeal  to  yourself.  I  think  you 
know  yourself  too  well  to  say  you  either  sought  or 
loved  the  Lord  first.  Perhaps  you  are  conscious  that 
for  a  season,  and  so  far  as  in  you  lay,  you  even  resisted 
his  call,  and  must  have  perished  if  he  had  not  made 
you  willing  in  the  day  of  his  power,  and  saved  you 
from  yourself.  In  your  own  case,  therefore,  you  ac- 
knowledge he  began  with  you,  and  it  must  be  so  with 
all  who  are  saved,  if  the  whole  race  are  by  nature  at 
enmity  with  God.  Then  further,  there  must  be  an 
election  unless  all  are  called.  But  we  are  assured 
that  the  broad  road  which  is  thronged  with  the 
greatest  multitudes  leads  to  destruction.  Were  not 
you  and  I  in  that  road  ?  Were  we  better  than  those 
who  continue  in  it  still?  What  but  grace  made  us  to 
difi"er  from  our  former  selves  ?     What  but  grace  made 

could  it  enter  into  your  heart  to  choose  a  text  to  disprove  the  doc- 
ti'ine  of  election  out  of  the  eighth  of  Romans;  where  this  doctrine 
is  so  plainly  asserted,  that  once  talking  with  a  Quaker  on  this  sub- 
ject, he  had  no  other  way  of  evading  the  force  of  the  Apostle's  as- 
sertion than  by  saying,  'I  believe  Paul  was  in  the  wrong.'  And 
another  friend  lately,  who  was  once  highly  prejudiced  against  elec- 
tion, ingenuously  confessed  he  used  to  think  St.  Paul  himself  was 
mistaken,  or  that  he  was  not  truly  translated."  Gillies'  Life  of 
Whitefield,  page  629. 


THE  DOCTRINE   OF  ELECTION.  ,  JQ^ 

US  to  differ  from  those  who  are  now  as  we  once  were? 
Then  this  grace  by  the  very  terms  must  be  distin- 
guishing, or  in  other  words,  electing  grace.  And  to 
suppose  that  God  should  make  his  choice  at  the  time 
of  our  calling,  is  not  only  unscriptural,  but  contrary 
to  the  dictates  of  reason,  and  the  ideas  we  have  of  the 
divine  perfections." 

This  brings  us  to  show 

IV.  That  the  teaching  of  Messrs.  Wesley,  Watson 
and  the  General  Conference,  as  already  given,  is 
scriptural  also.  This  appears  from  the  fact,  that  in 
the  Scriptures  the  people  of  God  are  represented  as 
chosen  to  salvation  and  eternal  life; — ^oknow  the  will 
of  God : — to  holiness — to  obedience — to  faith,  and  to  be 
conformed  to  the  image  of  Christ. 

Thus  Paul,  addressing  the  Thessalonians,  says, 
"We  are  bound  to  give  thanks  always  to  God  for  you, 
brethren  beloved  of  the  Lord,  because  God  hath  from 
the  beginning  chosen  you  to  salvation  through  sancti- 
fication  of  the  Spirit  and  belief  of  the  truth,  where- 
unto  he  hath  called  you  by  our  gospel,  to  the  obtaining 
of  the  glory  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ."* 

The  Rev.  R.  Watson,  commenting  on  this  passage, 
says,  "The  beginning  here  refers  to  the  very  first 
reception  of  the  gospel  in  Thessalonica,"  and,  he 
argues  that  these  Thessalonians  were  then  converted, 
and,  then  chosen,  &c.t  But,  if  this  be  so,  then  it 
follows  that  they  were  all  converted  about  the  same 
time,  which  is  very  improbable.  Again,  the  inter- 
pretation of  Mr.  Watson  is  in  conflict  with  Rev.  xvii. 
8 :  "  They  that  dwell  on  the  earth  shall  wonder,  whose 
names  were  not  written  in  the  book  of  life  from  the 
foundation  of  the  world."     This  teaches, 

1.  That  the  names  of  some  are  "in  the  book  of 

*  2  Thess.  ii.  13,  14. 

•j-  Theological  Institutes,  Part  II.  Chap.  xxy. 


lOft  THE  DOCTRINE   OF  ELECTION. 

life."  2.  That  they  were  written  there  from  the 
foundation  of  the  world.  Evidently  then,  when  Paul 
said  to  the  Thessalonian  Christians,  "  God  hath  from 
the  beginning  chosen  you  to  salvation,"  he  refers  to 
the  same  period  to  which  the  Second  Person  of  the 
Trinity  refers  when  he  says,  "  The  Lord  possessed  me 
in  the  beginning  of  his  way;"*  and  to  which  the 
Apostle  John  refers  when  speaking  of  Christ,  he  says, 
"In  the  beginning  was  the  word,  and  the  word  was 
with  God,  and  the  word  was  God.  The  same  was  in 
the  beginning  with  God."t  The  passage  thus  ex- 
plained, teaches,  1.  That  the  people  of  God  are 
chosen.  There  is  election.  2.  That  they  were  "  chosen 
from  the  beginning."  There  is  the  eternity  of  their 
election.  3.  That  they  were  "  chosen  to  salvation." 
There  is  the  end  of  their  election.  4.  "Through 
sanctification  of  the  Spirit  and  belief  of  the  truth." 
There  is  the  holiness  and  faith  that  follow  election. 
6.  "Whereunto  he  hath  called  you  by  our  gospel." 
There  is  the  appointed  means  to  bring  the  people  of 
God  to  the  salvation  to  which  they  have  been 
"  chosen." 

Again,  Luke  speaking  of  the  success  that  followed 
the  ministry  of  Paul  at  Corinth,  says,  "As  many  as 
were  ordained  to  eternal  life  believed."  Acts  xiii.  48. 

This  teaches,  1.  That  some  are  "  ordained  to  eternal 
life."  There  is  an  election  of  grace.  2.  That  their 
"ordination  to  eternal  life"  preceded  their  faith,  and 
so  was  not  conditional;  that  is,  on  account  of  it. 
3.  That  all  who  are  ordained  to  eternal  life  believe. 
Again,  Ananias,  addressing  the  awakened  Saul, 
says,  "  The  God  of  our  fathers  hath  chosen  thee  that 
thou  shouldst  know  his  will,"  &c.  Acts  xxii.  14. 

This  teaches  that  the  people  of  God  are  "chosen  to 
know  his  will."     Of  course  then  they  must  have  been 

*  Proverbs  viii.  22.  f  John  i.  1 — 3. 


THE  DOCTRINE  OP  ELECTION.  107 

chosen  before  they  do  know  his  •will.  Then  it  follows 
that  their  election  is  before  their  conversion,  and  so 
not  conditional,  or  on  account  of  it. 

Again,  Eph.  i.  4,  5 — "According  as  he  has  chosen 
us  in  him  before  the  foundation  of  the  world,  that  we 
should  be  holy,  and  without  blame  before  him  in  love, 
having  predestinated  us  unto  the  adoption  of  children 
unto  himself  by  Jesus  Christ,  according  to  the  good 
pleasure  of  his  will." 

If  then  the  people  of  God  were  "  chosen  before  the 
foundation  of  the  world  that  they  should  be  holy," 
their  election  is  before  their  holiness,  and  so,  is  not 
conditional,  or,  on  account  of  their  holiness. 

Again,  if  they  are  "predestinated  to  the  adoption 
of  children,"  they  must  have  been  so  predestinated 
before  they  are  children,  so  that  they  could  not  have 
been  "predestinated  to  the  adoption  of  children,"  be- 
cause they  were  children. 

Again,  1  Peter  i.  1,  2 — "Peter,  an  apostle  of  Jesus 
Christ,  to  the  strangers  scattered  throughout  Pontus, 
Galatia,  Cappadocia,  Asia,  and  Bithynia,  elect  ac- 
cording to  the  fore-knowledge  of  God  the  Father, 
through  sanctification  of  the  Spirit,  unto  obedience, 
and  sprinkling  of  the  blood  of  Jesus." 

If  then  the  people  of  God  are  "elected  unto  obedi- 
ence," their  election  must  be  before  their  obedience, 
and  consequently  before  their  sanctification  also,  be- 
cause no  sanctified  person  can  be  a  disobedient 
person. 

Again,  Rom.  viii.  29 — "For  whom  he  did  fore- 
know he  also  did  predestinate  to  be  conformed  to  the 
image  of  his  Son."  If  then,  some  have  been  predesti- 
nated to  that  blessing,  they  must  have  been  so  pre- 
destinated before  they  obtain  it. 

We  have  now  seen  that  the  people  of  God  were 
eternally  "chosen  to  salvation,"  "to  know  his  will," 
"that  they  should  be  holy,"  "unto  obedience" — "or- 


108  THE  DOCTRINE  OF  ELECTION. 

dained  to  eternal  life" — "  predestinated  unto  the 
adoption  of  children" — "to  be  conformed  to  theim<nge 
of  Christ,"  and  consequently,  to  faith,  for  no  one  can 
possess  these  graces  without  faith.  If  then  they  were 
chosen  to  these  graces,  the  choice  could  not  have  been 
made  because  they  were  foreseen  to  possess  them. 
Accordingly,  Paul  tells  us  that  "  when  Rebecca  had 
conceived  by  one,  even  by  our  father  Isaac,  (for  the 
children  being  not  yet  born,  neither  having  done  any 
good  or  evil,  that  the  purpose  of  God  according  to 
election  might  stand,  not  of  works,  but  of  him  that 
calleth,)  it  was  said  unto  her.  The  elder  shall  serve 
the  younger.  As  it  is  written,  Jacob  have  I  loved  but 
Esau  have  I  hated."  Rom.  ix.  11. 

From  this  we  learn,  1.  That  certain  special  favours 
•were  intended  for  Jacob  such  as  were  not  intended 
for  Esau. 

2.  That  these  favours  were  not  bestowed  on  Jacob 
conditionally,  that  is,  on  account  of  superior  merit, 
for  he  was  not  yet  born,  neither  had  he  done  either 
good  or  evil.     But 

3.  "  That  the  purpose  of  God,  according  to  election 
might  stand,  not  of  works,  but  of  him  that  calleth." 
We  find,  accordingly,  that  piety  commenced  with 
Jacob,  nor  has  it  ever  entirely  left  his  posterity. 
From  him  were  descended  most  of  the  prophets,  all  of 
the  Apostles,  and  our  Saviour  himself.  To  his  pos- 
terity were  committed  the  "Oracles  of  God,"  and 
through  them  they  have  been  handed  down  to  us. 
And  though  "  blindness  in  part  hath  happened  unto 
Israel  until  the  fulness  of  the  gentiles  be  come  in,  all 
Israel  shall  be  saved,  as  it  is  written,  There  shall  come 
forth  of  Zion  the  deliverer,  and  shall  turn  away  un- 
godliness from  Jacob."  Rom.  ix.  10,  11. 

With  Esau,  on  the  contrary,  extreme  wickedness 
commenced,  and  extreme  wickedness  was  a  prominent 
characteristic  of  his  posterity.     And  though,  as  a  na- 


THE  DOCTRINE  OP  ELECTION.  109 

tion,  they  became  great  and  powerful,  ages  long  since 
they  have  been  blotted  out  from  under  heaven.  How 
wonderful  are  the  ways  of  Providence,  and  how  forci- 
ble is  the  language  of  the  Scriptures,  "  By  grace  are  ye 
saved,  through  faith ;  and  that  not  of  yourselves,  it  is 
the  gift  of  God.  Not  of  works,  lest  any  man  should 
boast:  for  we  are  his  workmanship,  created  anew  in 
Christ  Jesus  unto  good  works,  which  God  hath  before 
ordained  that  we  should  walk  in  them."  "  Who  hath 
saved  us,  and  called  us  with  a  holy  calling,  not  accord- 
ing to  our  works,  but  according  to  his  own  purpose 
and  grace,  which  was  given  us  in  Christ  Jesus  before 
the  world  began."* 

We  have  now  seen  that  the  Calvinistic  doctrine  of 
personal  unconditional  election,  as  taught  by  Mr. 
Wesley  and  the  Methodists  of  his  day,  and  as  since 
taught  by  Mr.  Watson  and  the  General  Conference, 
is  sustained  by  reason,  by  fact,  by  the  Presbyterian 
Confession  of  Faith,  and  the  Bible.  But  as  the  Me- 
thodist Episcopal  Church  maintains  two  sides  at  least 
of  every  question  in  dispute  between  them  and  Cal- 
vinists,  we  will  show  next  what  they  teach  on  this 
subject  as  Arminians. 

As  Calvinists,  they  teach,  as  we  have  seen,  that 
election  is  eternal,  personal,  and  unconditional.  But 
as  Arminians,  they  teach,  on  the  contrary,  that  it  is 
an  election  in  time,  of  character,  and  conditional. 
Thus  Mr.  Wesley  and  the  General  Conference  say, 
"Faith  in  Christ  producing  obedience  to  him,  is  a 
cause,  without  which  God  elects  none  unto  glory. "f 
Mr.  Watson  and  the  General  Conference  say,  "  Per- 
sonal election  is  conditional.  It  rests,  as  we  have 
seen,  upon  personal  repentance  and  justifying  faith."| 
"  To  choose  men  to  salvation  considered  as  believers, 

*Eph.  ii.  8,  9,  10;  2  Tim.  i.  9. 

f  Doctrinal  Tracts,  page  140. 

j  Theological  Institutes,  Part  II.  Chapter  xxvi. 

10 


110  THE   DOCTRINE   OP   ELECTION. 

gives  a  reason  for  election  which  not  only  manifests 
the  wisdom  of  God,  but  has  the  advantage  of  being 
entirely  consistent  with  his  own  published  and  express 
decree:    'He  that  believeth  shall  be  saved,^and  he 

that  believeth  not  shall  be  damned.' The 

choice  not  being  of  certain  men  as  such,  but  of  all 
persons  believing."* 

Dr.  risk  and  the  General  Conference  say,  "  God 
did  decree  from  the  beginning,  to  elect,  or  choose  in 
Christ,  all  that  should  believe,  to  salvation."t  "We 
do  not  say  we  believe  because  we  are  elected,  but  we 
are  elected  because  we  believe."^  "  Ours  is  an  elec- 
tion of  character,  and  so  far  as  it  relates  to  indi- 
viduals, it  relates  to  them  only  as  they  are  foreseen 
to  possess  that  character."§ 

To  this  we  reply,  that  these  divines  completely 
refute  themselves  by  teaching  that  faith  and  repent- 
ance are  the  gifts  of  God.  Thus,  Mr.  Watson  and 
the  General  Conference,  after  describing  saving  re- 
pentance, say,  "  Such  is  the  corrupt  state  of  man 
that  he  is  incapable  of  repentance  of  this  kind.  .  .  . 
To  suppose  man  to  be  capable  of  a  repentance  which 
is  the  result  of  a  genuine  principle,  is  to  assume 
human  nature  to  be  what  it  is  not.  For  if  man  be 
totally  corrupt,  the  only  principles  from  which  that 
repentance  and  correction  of  manners  which  are 
supposed  in  the  argument  can  flow,  do  not  exist  in 
his  nature.  1 1 

Mr.  Wesley  says,  "  Repentance  flows  from  love  to 
God,  and  hatred  to  sin,"  ....  and  he  asks,  "Is  it 
possible  for  a  heart  totally  depraved,  dead  in  tres- 
passes and  sins  ,  to  exercise  such  repentance ?"T[ 

*  Theological  Institutes,  Part  II.  Chap.  xxvi. 
f  Calvinistic  Controversy,  the  Sermon. 
X  Christian  Advocate  and  Journal,  Feb.  19th,  1852. 
§  Calvinistic  Controversy,  the  Sermon. 
II  Theological   Institutes,  Part  II.  Chap.  xix. 
f  Sermon  on  the  New  Birth. 


THE  DOCTRINE  OP  ELECTION.  Ill 

Here  then,  we  are  distinctly  taught  that  man  is  so 
corrupt  as  to  be  incapable  of  evangelical  or  saving 
repentance — that  such  repentance,  being  the  result  of 
a  genuine  principle  which  does  not  exist  in  human 
nature,  is  therefore  the  gift  of  God.  This,  then,  is 
one  of  the  conditions  of  election,  according  to  Ar- 
minians;  take  the  other. 

"Boasting  of  our  faith,"  say  Mr.  Watson  and 
the  General  Conference,  "is  cut  off  by  the  considera- 
tion that  it  is  the  gift  of  God."* 

Mr.  Wesley  says,  "  Of  yourselves  cometh  neither 
your  faith  nor  your  salvation.  It  is  the  gift  of 
God — the  free  undeserved  gift — the  faith  through 
which  ye  are  saved."f  Again,  he  says,  "  The  true 
living  Christian  faith,  which  whosoever  hath  is  born 
of  God,  is  not  only  an  assent,  or  act  of  the  under- 
standing, but  a  disposition  which  God  hath  wrought 
in  his  heart."!  Again  he  asks,  "  Why  have  not  all 
men  this  faith?"  and  answers,  "Because  no  man  is 
able  to  work  it  in  himself.  It  is  the  work  of  Omnipo- 
tence— it  requires  no  less  power  thus  to  quicken  a 
dead  soul  than  to  raise  a  dead  body  that  lies  in  the 
grave — it  is  a  new  creation,  and  none  can  create  a 
soul  anew  but  He  who  at  first  created  the  heavens 
and  the  earth,"§  &c. 

If  then,  "  Election  is  an  election  of  character,  and 
so  far  as  it  relates  to  individuals,  relates  to  them 
only  as  they  are  seen  to  possess  that  character" — 
"  conditional,  resting  upon  personal  repentance  and 
justifying  faith,"  and  these  graces  which  constitute 
the  character,  are  themselves  the  gifts  of  God ;  then, 
unless  he  gives  them  to  all,  it  follows  that  he  must 
have  selected  those  to  whom  he  gives  them.     This, 

*  Theological  Institutes,  Part  II.  Chap,  xxiii. 
f  Sei'moa  on  Salvation  by  Faith. 
X  Sermon  on  The  Marks  of  the  New  Birth. 
I  Southey's  Life  of  Wesley,  Vol.  II.  page  82. 


112  THE   DOCTRINE   OF   ELECTION. 

however,  is  the  personal  unconditional  election  of  the 
Calvinists :  so  that,  although  these  divines  shift 
their  ground,  they  do  not  escape  the  difficulty.  But, 
Bays  Mr.  Wesley  and  the  General  Conference, 
"Believing  is  the  gift  of  the  God  of  grace,  as  breath- 
ing, moving,  and  eating  are  the  gifts  of  the  God  of 
nature.  He  gives  me  lungs  and  air,  that  I  may 
breathe;  he  gives  me  life  and  muscles,  that  I  may 
move;  he  bestows  upon  me  food  and  a  mouth,  that  I 
may  eat;  and  when  I  have  no  stomach,  he  gives  me 
common  sense  to  see  I  must  die,  or  force  myself  to 
take  some  nourishment  or  some  medicine;  but  he 
neither  breathes,  moves,  nor  eats  for  me;  nay,  when 
I  think  proper  I  can  accelerate  my  breathing,  mo- 
tion, and  eating;  and  if  I  please  I  may  even  fast, 
lie  down,  or  hang  myself,  and  by  that  means  put  an 
end  to  my  eating,  moving,  and  breathing." 

"Again,  faith  is  the  gift  of  God  to  believers  as 
sight  is  to  you.  The  parent  of  good  freely  gives  you 
the  light  of  the  sun,  and  organs  proper  to  receive  it. 
He  places  you  in  a  world,  where  the  light  visits  you 
daily ;  he  apprizes  you  that  sight  is  conducive  to 
your  safety,  pleasure,  and  profit;  and  everything 
around  you  bids  you  use  your  eyes  and  see :  never- 
theless, you  may  not  only  drop  your  curtains,  and 
extinguish  your  candle,  but  close  your  eyes  also. 
This  is  exactly  the  case  with  regard  to  faith."*  But 
if  this  be  so,  then  it  follows  that  unbelief,  atheism, 
blasphemy,  theft,  lying.  Sabbath-breaking,  adultery, 
murder,  &c.,  are  in  the  same  sense  the  gifts  of  God, 
as  faith  and  repentance  are,  since  the  powers  by 
which  these  things  are  done,  are  as  much  the  gifts 
of  God,  as  those  by  which,  according  to  Arminians,  a 
man  repents  and  believes. 

This,  indeed,  is  very  little  like  Mr.  Wesley,  who, 

*  Doctrinal  Tracts,  pp.  235,  236. 


THE   DOCTRINE   OP   ELECTION.  118 

when  speaking  of  a  sinner  "made  sensible  of  his  lost 
estate,"  said,  "  He  knows  himself  to  be  dead  while 
he  liveth,  dead  to  God,  having  no  more  power  to 
perform  the  actions  of  a  living  Christian,  than 
a  dead  body  to  perform  the  functions  of  a  living 
man."*  Very  little  like  Mr.  Wesley,  when  he  asks, 
"  Can  you  give  yourself  this  faith  ?  Is  it  in  your  power 
to  see,  or  hear,  or  taste,  or  feel  God? — to  raise  in 
yourself  any  perception  of  God,  or  of  an  invisible 
world? — to  open  up  an  intercourse  between  yourself 
and  the  world  of  spirits  ? — to  discern  either  them,  or 
him  that  created  them  ? — to  burst  the  veil  that  is  on 
your  heart,  and  let  in  the  light  of  eternity  ?  You 
know  it  is  not.  You  not  only  do  not,  but  cannot  (by 
your  own  strength)  thus  believe.  The  more  you 
labour  so  to  do,  the  more  you  will  be  convinced  it  is 
the  gift  of  God  ....  which  he  bestows  ....  on 
those  who,  till  that  hour,  were  fit  only  for  everlasting 
destruction. "f  And  very  little  like  Mr.  Watson  and 
the  General  Conference,  when  they  say,  "  Men  hav- 
ing become  totally  corrupt,  are  not  capable  of  obedi- 
ence in  future."! 

But,  says  Mr.  Watson,  "What  true  personal  elec- 
tion is,  we  shall  find  explained  in  two  clear  passages 
of  Scripture.  It  is  explained  negatively  by  our  Lord, 
when  he  says  to  his  disciples,  "I  have  chosen  you 
out  of  the  world."  It  is  explained  positively  by  St. 
Peter  when  he  addresses  his  first  epistle  to  the  "  elect 
according  to  the  foreknowledge  of  God  the  Father, 
through  sanctification  of  the  Spirit  unto  obedience, 
and  sprinkling  of  the  blood  of  Jesus." 

"  To  be  elected  therefore,  is  to  be  separated  from 
*the  world,'  and  to   be  sanctified  by  the  Spirit,  and 


*  Sermon  on  the  Way  of  Salvation. 

t  Southcy's  Life  of  Wesley,  Vol.  II.  page  82. 

j  Theological  Institutes,  Part  II.  Chap,  xxiii. 

10* 


114  THE  DOCTRINE  OF  ELECTION. 

by  the  blood  of  Christ.  It  follows  then,  that  elec- 
tion is  not  only  an  act  of  God,  done  in  time,  but  also 
that  it  is  subsequent  to  the  administration  of  the 
means  of  salvation.  The  '  calling'  goes  before  the 
'election;'  the  publication  of  the  doctrine  of  'the 
Spirit,'  and  the  atonement,  called  by  Peter,  the 
'  sprinkling  of  the  blood  of  Christ,'  before  that  'sanc- 
tification,'  through  which  they  become  the  'elect'  of 
God."* 

To  this  we  reply;  if  the  elect  are  sanctified  before 
they  are  elected,  then  it  follows,  that  they  must  obey 
before  they  are  elected,  for  no  sanctified  adult  can  be 
disobedient.  But  according  to  the  Scriptures,  it  is 
to  these  graces  they  are  elected.  While,  however, 
Paul  says,  "chosen  that  we  should  be  holy;"t  and 
Peter  says,  "  elect  unto  obedience,"|  Mr.  Watson 
says.  Holy,  that  we  may  be  chosen,  and  obedient, 
that  we  may  be  elected.  And  while  David  says, 
"Blessed  is  the  man  whom  thou  choosest  and  causest 
to  approach  unto  thee,"§  Mr.  Watson  would  say. 
Blessed  is  the  man  who  approaches  unto  thee,  that  he 
may  be  chosen.  And  when  Ananias  said  to  Paul, 
"The  God  of  our  Fathers  hath  chosen  thee,  that  thou 
shouldst  know  his  will,"||  Mr.  Watson  would  have 
said.  The  God  of  our  Fathers  will  choose  thee  after 
thou  hast  known  his  will.  And  when  Paul  says, 
"  According  as  he  hath  chosen  us  in  him  before  the 
foundation  of  the  world,  that  we  should  be  holy,"** 
Mr.  Watson  says,  "An  act  of  God  done  in  time,  sub- 
sequent to  the  administration  of  the  means  of  salva- 
tion." 

While  therefore,  according  to  Arminians,  election 
takes  place  after  the  subjects  of  it  are  "holy" — after 
they  believe — after  they  "know  the  will  of  God" — 

*  Theological  Institutes,  Part  II.  Chap.  xxvi.  f  £ph.  i.  4. 

X  1  Peter  i.  2.     §  Psalm  Ixv.  4.     [|  Acts  xxii.  14.        *^  Eph.  i.  4. 


THE   ATONEMENT.  116 

after  "obedience" — after  they  "approach  unto  God" 
— after  they  are  "adopted  as  children" — after  they 
are  "  conformed  to  the  image  of  Christ,"  &c.,  Calvin- 
istic  election  and  the  election  of  the  Bible  is  "to  holi- 
ness," to  faith,  "to  approach  unto  God,"  "to  know 
his  will,"  "to  obedience"  "unto  the  adoption  of 
children,"  &c. 

Let  us  now  hear  Paul:  "God  who  is  rich  in  mercy, 
for  his  great  love,  wherewith  he  loved  us,  even  when 
we  were  dead  in  sin,  hath  quickened  us  together  with 
Christ,  (by  grace  are  ye  saved)  and  hath  raised  us  up, 
and  made  us  sit  together  in  heavenly  places  in  Christ 
Jesus,  that  in  the  ages  to  come,  he  might  show  the  ex- 
ceeding riches  of  his  grace  in  his  kindness  toward 
us  through  Jesus  Christ,"*  "having  predestinated  us 
unto  the  adoption  of  children,  according  to  the  good 
pleasure  of  his  will."t 


CHAPTER   X. 


THE    ATONEMENT. 


The  nature  and  extent  of  the  Atonement  are  neces- 
sarily involved  in  a  discussion  of  the  doctrine  of 
election.  This  is  seen  and  felt  by  Arminians,  and 
hence  there  is  no  point  in  the  whole  Calvinistic  con- 
troversy on  which  they  lay  so  much  stress.  Blit 
notwithstanding  they  have  here  laid  out  all  their 
strength,  if  we  are  not  greatly  mistaken,  we  shall  find 
their  inconsistency  by  no  means  trifling. 

*Eph.  ii.  4— 7.  flbid.  i.  6. 


X 


116  THE   ATONEMENT. 

In  the  Articles  of  Religion  and  Discipline  of  the 
Methodist  Episcopal  Church,  we  have  the  following 
definition  of  the  Atonement,  viz: 

"The  offering  of  Christ  once  made,  is  a  perfect 
redemption,  propitiation,  and  satisfaction  for  all  the 
sins  of  the  whole  world,  both  original  and  actual,  and 
there  is  none  other  satisfaction  for  sin,  but  that 
alone."* 

Is  this  definition  correct  ?  If  it  is,  why  should  any 
of  the  human  family  be  finally  lost?  Will  any  of 
those  who  are  "bold  to  afiirm  that  justice  and  equity 
in  God  are  what  they  are  taken  to  be  among  reason- 
able men,"f  tell  us  how  "it  is  possible  to  reconcile  it 
to  any  n<5tion  of  just  government  that  has  ever  ob- 
tained"! to  send  men  to  hell,  when  "for  all  their  sins, 
both  original  and  actual,  a  perfect  redemption,  propi- 
tiation, and  satisfaction  has  been  made?"  "The  bare 
statement  of  such  an  idea  is  enough  to  chill  one's 
blood."§ 

Now  that  such  a  consequence  does  follow  the  doc- 
trine we  have  just  stated,  is  admitted.  Thus  says  the 
Rev.  N.  L.  Bangs,  "  The  law  of  God  being  completely 
satisfied  by  the  obedience  of  Christ  unto  death,  it  can 
have  no  just  demand  upon  those  for  whom  satisfaction 
was  made.  And  if  the  law  has  no  demand,  there  can 
be  no  condemnation. "II 

But,  says  the  Rev.  R.  Watson,  "As  to  a  future 
state,  eternal  life  is  promised  to  all  men  believing  in 
Christ,  which  reverses  the  sentence  of  eternal  death.  .  . 
Should  this  be  rejected,  he  (the  sinner)  stands  liable 
to  the  whole  penalty,  to  the  punishment  of  loss,  as  to 
the  natural  consequences  of  his  corrupted  nature, 
which  renders  him  unfit  for  heaven ;  to  the  punishment 
of  even  pain  for  the  original  offence  .  .  .  and  to  the 

*  Article  XX.  f  Theol.  Institutes,  Part  II.  Chap.  xxvi. 

X  Ibid.  I  Oalvinistic  Controversy,  the  Sermon. 

II  Reformer  Reformed,  page  180. 


THE  ATONEMENT.  117 

penalty  of  his  own  actual  transgressions,  aggravated 
bj  his  having  made  light  of  the  gospel."* 

Ah,  indeed!  and  all  this,  when  "for  all  his  sins 
both  original  and  actual,  a  perfect  redemption,  pro- 
pitiation and  satisfaction"  has  been  made?  Is  not  the 
sin  of  unbelief  included  among  "  all  the  sins  of  the 
whole  world?"  If  it  is,  then,  according  to  Arminians, 
"  a  perfect  satisfaction"  has  been  made  for  it,  and  it 
can  make  no  manner  of  difference  to  a  sinner  whether 
he  believes  or  not.  If  it  is  not  so  included,  then 
*'  the  offering  of  Christ  once  made,  is  (not)  a  perfect 
redemption,  propitiation  and  satisfaction  for  all  the 
sins  of  the  whole  world." 

Whenever  Mohammed  was  charged  with  having 
violated  a  precept  of  the  Koran,  he  said  the  angel 
Gabriel  had  revealed  a  dispensation  to  cover  the  case. 
Now,  although  no  such  revelations  are  claimed  by  Ar- 
minians, yet,  when  one  doctrine  brings  them  into  a 
difficulty,  without  abandoning  it,  they  do  invent  an- 
other to  bring  them  out.  Accordingly,  in  the  case 
before  us,  they  shift  their  ground  and  tell  us,  that 
"To  die  for  us,  signifies,  to  die  in  the  place  and 
stead  of  man,  as  a  sacrificial  oblation,  by  which,  satis- 
faction is  made  for  the  sins  of  the  individual,  so  that 
they  become  remissible  upon  the  terms  of  the  evan- 
gelical covenant.  When,  therefore,  it  is  said,  that 
Christ,  'by  the  grace  of  God  tasted  death  for  every 
man,'  and  that  he  is  the  'propitiation  for  our  sins,  and 
not  for  ours  only,  but  also  for  the  sins  of  the  whole 
world,'  it  can  only,  we  think,  be  fairly  concluded 
from  such  declarations,  and  from  many  other  familiar 
texts,  in  which  the  same  phraseology  is  employed, 
that,  by  the  death  of  Christ,  the  sins  of  every  man 
are  rendered  remissible,  and  that  salvation  is  conse- 
quently attainable  by  every  man."f 

*  Theological  Institutes,  Part  II.  Chap,  xviii. 
f  Ibid.  Chap.  xxv. 


118  THE  ATONEMENT. 

Mr.  Wesley  says,  "For  the  sake  of  his  well-be- 
loved Son,  of  what  he  hath  done  and  suffered  for  us, 
God  now  vouchsafes  on  one  only  condition  (which  he 
himself  enables  us  to  perform,)  both  to  remit  the  pun- 
ishment due  to  our  sins,  to  reinstate  us  in  his  favour, 
and  to  restore  our  dead  souls  to  spiritual  life,  as  an 
earnest  of  life  eternal."* 

Before,  "the  offering  of  Christ  was  a  perfect  re- 
demption, propitiation,  and  satisfaction  for  all  the  sins 
of  the  whole  world,"  but  now  it  is  "a  sacrificial  obla- 
tion, by  which  satisfaction  is  made  for  the  sins  of  the 
individual,  so  that  they  become  remissible"  only,  and 
"salvation  is  consequently,  attainable  by  every  one," 
80  that  this  "perfect  satisfaction  for  all  sin,"  is  con- 
ditional ;  that  is,  "  poised  on  the  possibility  of  being 
or  not  being,  (it)  being  left  to  the  will  of  intelligent 
beings  to  turn  the  scale,  "f 

We  have  seen  already,  that  omniscience  means  "  a 
power  to  know,  and  that  repentance  and  faith  mean  a 
power  to  repent  and  believe."  We  now  see  that  the 
"perfect  satisfaction  for  all  the  sins  of  the  whole 
world,"  means  nothing  more  than  that  the  sins  of 
every  man  are  rendered  remissible  on  the  terms  of  the 
evangelical  covenant,  and  that  it  is  for  man  to  say 
whether  the  death  of  Christ  shall  be  an  atonement  for 
sin  or  not.  So  then,  after  all  the  clamour  about  a 
limited  atonement,  Arminians  themselves  limit  it  to 
those  that  are  saved. 

What  then,  it  may  be  asked,  is  the  true  doctrine  on 
this  subject?  To  this  we  reply,  there  is  a  sense  in 
which  Christ  tasted  death  for  every  man.     And 

1.  "He  died  for  all,"  in  such  a  sense,  that  "there 
will  be  a  resurrection  both  of  the  just  and  of  the  un- 
just."! "For  as  in  Adam  all  die,  even  so,  in  Christ 
shall  all  be  made  alive."  1  Cor.  xv.  22. 

*  Sermon  on  Justification  by  Faith. 

f  Dr.  A.  Ciarko'a  Comuieutary  on  Acts  ii.  %  Acts  xxiv.  15. 


THE   ATONEMENT.  119 

2.  That  the  whole  world  is  so  benefitted  by  his 
death  that  it  can  be  said  of  his  disciples,  "Ye  are  the 
salt  of  the  earth,  ye  are  the  light  of  the  world."* 

3.  That  "he  is  the  propitiation  for  the  sins  of  the 
whole  world,"  in  such  a  sense,  that  in  due  time  "  all 
nations  shall  serve  him,"f  and  "all  shall  know  him 
from  the  least  to  the  greatest,"!  "for  the  earth  shall 
be  full  of  the  knowledge  of  the  Lord,  as  the  waters 
cover  the  sea."§ 

4.  That  as  the  "ground  was  cursed  for  man's 
sake,"  Gen.  iii.  17,  and  consequently  every  creature 
that  dwells  thereon,  so  that  "the  whole  creation 
groaneth  and  travaileth  in  pain  togetl?er  until  now," 
Rom.  viii.  22;  yet  such  is  the  extent  and  efficacy  of 
the  atonement,  that  "the  creature  itself  also  shall  be 
delivered  from  the  bondage  of  corruption  into  the 
glorious  liberty  of  the  children  of  God."  Rom.  viii.  21. 

5.  That  he  "gave  himself  a  ransom  for  all,"  and 
"is  the  Saviour  of  all  men"  in  such  a  sense,  that 
the  provisions  of  the  gospel  are  amply  sufficient  for 
all,  and  the  "  gospel,  in  his  name,  is  to  be  preached  to 
all."  And  though  we  pretend  not  to  explain  every 
difficulty  in  the  Bible,  we  go  as  far  as  the  farthest  in 
the  oifer  to  all,  of  a  full  and  free  salvation,  and  in 
pressing  its  claims  with  the  energies  of  dying  men,  and 
in  proclaiming,  "Whosoever  will,  let  him  come  and 
partake  of  the  waters  of  life  freely;"  and  in  assuring 
them  that  if  they  "come  to  Christ,  he  will  in  no  wise 
cast  them  out;"  yet  believing  that  Christ  does  nothing 
but  from  design,  we  do  not  believe  that  he  died  for 
those  who  will  be  finally  lost,  in  the  same  sense,  and 
with  the  same  intention,  that  he  died  for  those  who 
will  be  finally  saved.  The  following  is  taken  from  a 
letter  from  the  Rev.  Dr.  Miller,  of  Princeton  Theolo- 

*  Matt.  V.  13,  14.  t  Psalm  Ixxii.  11. 

X  Heb.  viii.  11.  §  Isaiah  xi.  9. 


120  THE   ATONEMENT. 

gical  Seminary,  to  a  minister  in  New  England,  dated 
February  9,  1836. 

"  So  far  as  I  understand  the  prevailing  belief  of 
the  doctrine  of  atonement  in  our  Church,  it  is  the  fol- 
lowing: That  Christ  obeyed,  suffered,  and  laid  down 
his  life  by  covenant;  that  what  he  did  was  strictly 
vicarious;  i.  e.  he  acted  as  the  substitute  of  his  peo- 
ple; that  he  died  in  a  special  sense  for  the  elect;  but 
that  his  obedience  and  sufferings  were  so  perfectly 
peculiar  and  unique  in  their  nature,  that  it  would 
have  been  necessary  they  should  be  just  what  they 
were  if  the  salvation  of  only  one  soul  had  been  in- 
tended; and  that  nothing  more  would  have  been 
necessary,  if  countless  millions  of  those  who  perish 
had  been  included  in  the  purpose  of  salvation  :  That 
of  course  there  is  no  scantiness  in  the  provision  of 
mercy:  but  that  an  ample  foundation  is  laid  for  a  sin- 
cere offer  of  salvation  to  all  who  hear  the  gospel. 
Unless  I  am  deceived,  this  is  substantially  the  view 
taken  by  ninety-nine  out  of  every  hundred  of  the  Old- 
school  ministers  of  our  Church." 

To  this  we  will  add  a  few  thoughts,  in  part  from  an 
excellent  little  volume  by  the  Rev.  N.  L.  Rice,  D.  D., 
in  part  from  the  "Great  Supper,"  by  Dr.  Fairchild, 
and  in  part  of  our  own. 

1.  As  Christ  was  omniscient,  he  must  have  known 
who  would  believe  and  be  saved,  and  who  would  re- 
main in  unbelief  and  be  lost.  No  being,  possessed  of 
even  a  moderate  share  of  wisdom,  will  undertake  a 
work,  and  especially  an  expensive  one,  without  a  rea- 
sonable prospect  of  success.  Accordingly,  a  man 
always  exposes  himself  to  the  charge  of  folly,  who 
begins  but  is  not  able  to  finish.  To  say,  therefore, 
that  the  Lord  Jesus  undertook  a  work  in  which  he 
failed,  is  to  impeach  his  wisdom. 

2.  When  men  in  business  have  brought  ruin  upon 
themselves  by  rash  speculations,  they  are  free  to  con- 


THE   ATONEMENT.  121 

fess,  that  they  would  have  pursued  a  different  course 
if  they  could  have  foreseen  the  results.  To  assert 
then,  that  the  Lord  Jesus  undertook  that  in  which  he 
failed,  is  to  say,  "  he  did  not  see  the  end  from  the 
beginning." 

3.  If  he  died  with  the  intention  of  saving  all,  and 
all  are  not  saved,  it  cannot  be  said,  "  He  hath  done 
whatsoever  he  pleased."* 

4.  *'  If  he  intended  to  save  all,  and  all  are  not 
saved,  he  cannot  be  said  to  have  Almighty  power. 
The  only  reason  why  any  being  fails  to  accomplish 
his  designs,  is,  that  he  has  not  the  requisite  ability. 
And  hence,  to  affirm  that  the  Redeemer  has  been  un- 
successful in  his  attempts  to  save  sinners,  is  to  deny 
the  infinite  efficacy  of  his  grace." 

5.  If  he  intended  to  save  any  who  are  not  finally 
saved,  then  it  follows  that  the  angel  was  mistaken 
that  said,  "  He  shall  save  his  people  from  their  sins."f 
And  David,  when  he  said,  "A  seed  shall  serve  him; 
it  shall  be  accounted  to  the  Lord  for  a  generation. "J 
And  Isaiah,  when  he  said,  "He  shall  see  his  seed,  he 
shall  prolong  his  days,  and  the  pleasure  of  the  Lord 
shall  prosper  in  his  hands.  He  shall  see  of  the  tra- 
vail of  his  soul  and  shall  be  satisfied. "§ 

We  therefore  deny  that  he  died  for  those  who  are 
finally  lost,  in  the  same  sense,  and  with  the  same  in- 
tention that  he  died  for  those  who  are  finally  saved, 
and  for  proof  we  appeal  to  the  word  of  God. 

In  John  vi.  37 — 39,  our  Saviour  speaks  of  "  all 
that  the  Father  giveth  him,"  and  says,  "  This  is  the 
Father's  will  which  hath  sent  me,  that  of  all  which 
he  hath  given  me,  I  should  lose  nothing,  but  should 
raise  it  up  at  the  last  day." 

Speaking   of  them   again,  he  says,  "My  Father, 

*  Psalm  cxv.  3.  f  Matt.  i.  21.  J  Psalm  xxii.  30. 

§  Isaiah  liii.  10,  11. 

11 


129  THE   ATONEMENT. 

which  gave  them  me,  is  greater  than  all,  and  none 
is  able  to  pluck  them  out  of  my  Father's  hands."* 

In  Rev.  xvii.  8,  the  angel  that  appeared  to  the 
Apostle  John  when  in  exile  said,  "They  that  dwell 
on  the  earth  shall  wonder,  whose  names  were  not 
written  in  the  book  of  life  from  the  foundation  of  the 
world."  In  Rev.  xiii.  8,  this  is  called  "the  book 
of  life  of  the  Lamb."t 

From  these  passages  we  learn — 1.  That  some  were 
given  to  Christ.  2.  That  "before  they  were  born, 
or  had  done  any  good  or  evil,  that  the  purpose  of 
God,  according  to  election  might  stand,  not  of  works, 
but  of  him  that  calleth,"  (Rom.  ix.  11,)  their  "names 
were  written  in  the  book  of  life,  of  the  Lamb."  This 
leads  us  to  remark — 3.  That  for  those  who  were  given 
to  Christ,  he  died  intentionally  to  save  them.  They 
are  called 

1.  His  sheep.  "  I  am  the  good  shepherd ;  the 
good  shepherd  giveth  his  life  for  the  sheep."  "  I  lay 
down  my  life  for  the  sheep. "| 

Here  it  will  be  observed  that  he  does  not  say  "  I  lay 
down  my  life  for"  all  mankind,  but  "  for  the  sheep" 
— "for  them  which  thou  hast  given  me,"§  "whose 
names  were  written  in  the  (Lamb's)  book  of  life  from 
the  foundation  of  the  world."  And,  as  if  to  prevent 
the  possibility  of  its  being  said  that  he  referred  to 
those  who  were  then  his  disciples,  he  added,  "And 
other  sheep  I  have,  which  are  not  of  this  fold,  them  also 
must  I  bring,  and  they  shall  hear  my  voice,  and 
there  shall  be  one  fold,  and  one  shepherd."** 


*  John  X.  29. 

f  Rev.  R.  Watson,  personating  the  believer,  says,  "My  name  is 
not  in  the  book  of  life  till  my  gnilt  is  cancelled  and  my  person 
adopted." — Sermon  on  the  Inheritance  of  the  Saints.  Here  Mr. 
Watson  opposes  his  opinion  to  the  statement  of  an  angel. 

X  .John  X.  11,  15.  §  John  xvii.  9.  **  John  x.  16. 


THE  ATONEMENT.  123 

2.  They  are  called  his  seed.*  "  A  seed  shall  serve 
him  ;  it  shall  be  accounted  to  the  Lord  for  a  genera- 
tion."f  "  When  thou  shalt  make  his  soul  an  offering 
for  sin,  he  shall  see  his  seed,  he  shall  prolong  his 
days,  and  the  pleasure  of  the  Lord  shall  prosper  in 
his  hands." 

3.  They  are  called  his  people.  Mat.  i.  21,  "  Thou 
shalt  call  his  name  Jesus,  for  he  shall  save  his  people 
from  their  sins."  Isaiah  liii.  8,  "For  the  trans- 
gression of  my  people  was  he  stricken."  Titus  ii.  13, 
14,  "  Looking  for  that  blessed  hope,  and  the  glorious 
appearing  of  the  great  God,  and  our  Saviour  Jesus 
Christ,  who  gave  himself  for  us,  that  he  might  redeem 
us  from  all  iniquity,  and  purify  unto  himself  a  pecu- 
liar people,  zealous  of  good  works."  Rev.  v.  9,  "And 
they  (those  around  the  throne)  sung  a  new  song,  say- 
ing, Thou  art  worthy  ....  for  thou  wast  slain,  and 
hast  redeemed  us  to  God  by  thy  blood,  out  of  every 
kindred,  and  tongue,  and  people,  and  nation."  Rev. 
xiv.  2 — 4,  "  And  I  heard  a  voice  of  harpers,  harping 
with  harps,   and  they  sung  as  it  were  a  new  song 

before  the  throne These  are  they  which 

follow  the  Lamb  withersoever  he  goeth.     These  were 
redeemed  from  among  men,"  &c. 

It  was  then,  especially  for  "  the  sheep,"  his 
"seed,"  his  "people,"  that  Christ  was  "stricken." 
These  he  "  redeemed  from  among  men  to  God  by  his 
blood,  out  of  every  kindred  and  tongue,  and  people, 
and  nation."  These  "  he  redeems  from  all  iniquity, 
purifies  them  unto  himself  a  peculiar  people,"  and 
"  saves  them  from  their  sins." 

4.  They  are  called  his  Church.  Acts  xx.  28, 
"Feed  the  Church  of  God,  which  he  hath  pur- 
chased with  his  own  blood."  Eph.  v.  25,  26,  "Christ 
also  loved  the  Church,  and  gave  himself  for  it,  that 

*  Fsalm  xxii.  30.  -j-  Isaiah  liii.  10. 


124  THE   ATONEMENT. 

he  might  sanctify  and  cleanse  it  with  the  washing  of 
water  by  the  word." 

5.  In  accordance  with  these  passages  of  Scripture 
the  Presbyterian  Confession  of  Faith  says,  "  The 
Lord  Jesus  Christ,  by  his  perfect  obedience  and  sacri- 
fice of  himself,  which  he,  through  the  eternal  Spirit, 
once  offered  up  unto  God,  hath  fully  satisfied  the  jus- 
tice of  his  Father,  and  purchased  not  only  reconcilia- 
tion, but  an  everlasting  inheritance  in  the  kingdom 
of  heaven  for  all  those  whom  the  Father  hath  given 
unto  him."*  The  Rev.  R.  Watson  has,  therefore, 
fallen  into  a  great  mistake,  in  saying  that  "No  pas- 
sage of  Scripture  can  be  adduced,  or  is  even  pre- 
tended to  exist,  which  declares  that  Christ  did  not 
die  equally  for  all  men."t 

6.  Strange  as  it  may  appear,  the  doctrine  we  have 
here  maintained  was  taught  by  Arminius.  Speak- 
ing of  "the  fruits  of  the  sacerdotal  oflSce  in 
its  administration  by  Christ,"  he  says,  "These  bene- 
fits are,  (1)  The  concluding  and  the  confirmation  of 
a  new  covenant.  (2)  The  asking,  obtaining,  and 
application  of  all  the  blessings  necessary  for  the 
salvation  of  the  human  race.  (3)  The  institution  of 
a  new  priesthood,  both  eucharistic  and  regal ;  and 
(4)  The  extreme  and  final  bringing  to  God  of  all  his 
covenant  people."^ 

Under  this  fourth  head  he  says,  "  With  this  intent 
the  covenant  was  contracted  between  God  and  men  ; 
with  this  intent  the  remission  of  sins,  the  adoption  of 
sons,  and  the  Spirit  of  grace  were  conferred  on  the 
Church.  For  this  purpose  the  new  eucharistic  and 
royal  priesthood  was  instituted ;  that  being  made 
priests  and  kings,  all  the  covenant  people  might  he 


*  See  Confession  of  Faith  Chap.  viii.  Sec.  v. 
f  Theological  Institutes,  Part  II.  Chap.  xxvi. 
X  Life  of  Arminius  by  Bangs,  pp.  130,  131. 


THE  ATONEMENT.  126 

brought  to  their  God.  In  the  most  expressive  lan- 
guage the  Apostle  Peter  ascribes  this  effect  to  the 
priesthood  of  Christ  in  these  words :  '  Christ  also 
hath  once  suffered  for  sins,  the  just  for  the  un- 
just, that  he  might  bring  us  to  God,'  1  Peter  iii.  18. 
The  following  are  also  the  words  of  an  Apostle  con- 
cerning the  same  act  of  bringing  them  to  God, 
*  Then  cometh  the  end,  when  he  shall  have  delivered 
up  the  kingdom  to  God,  even  the  Father,'  1  Cor, 
XV.  24.  In  Isaiah's  prophecy  it  is  said,  '  Behold  I 
and  the  children  whom  the  Lord  hath  given  me.' 
Let  these  words  be  considered  as  proceeding  out  of 
the  mouth  of  Christ,  when  he  is  bringing  his  children 
and  addressing  the  Father;  not  that  they  may  be 
for  signs  and  for  wonders  to  the  people,  but  '  a  pecu- 
liar treasure  to  the  Lord.' 

"  Christ  will,  therefore,  bring  all  his  Church, 
whom  he  hath  redeemed  to  himself  by  his  own  blood, 
that  they  may  receive  from  the  hands  of  the  Father 
of  infinite  benignity  the  heavenly  inheritance  which 
has  been  procured  by  his  death,  promised  in  his 
word,  and  sealed  by  the  Holy  Spirit,  and  may  enjoy 
it  for  ever."* 

Here,  then,  we  are  taught  that  in  reference  to 
fallen  man  "a  new  covenant  was  contracted,"  "a  new 
and  royal  priesthood  instituted,  that  all  the  covenant 
people  might  be  brought  to  God;" — that  "Christ 
hath  redeemed  to  himself,  by  his  own  blood,"  (a 
Church  and)  "will,  therefore,  bring  all  his  Church, 
whom  he  hath  redeemed,  that  they  may  receive  from 
the  hands  of  the  Father  the  heavenly  inheritance 
procured  by  his  death,  promised  in  his  word,  and 
sealed  by  the  Holy  Spirit." 

Now,  this  is  in  exact  accordance  with  the  Presby- 
terian  Confession  of  Faith  and  the  Bible,t  and  in 

*  Life  of  Arminius  by  Bangs,  pp.  137,  138. 
f  The  General  Couference  have  so  far  endorsed  this  quotation 
11* 


120  THE   ATONEMENT. 

accordance  with  it,  the  Methodist  Episcopal  Church 
North,  unites  in  the  following  address  to  Christ : 

"  Thou  dying  Lamb,  thy  precious  blood 
Sliall  never  lose  its  power; 
Till  all  the  ransomed  Chvirch  of  God 
Be  saved  to  sin  no  more."* 

This  teaches,  1.  That  the  Church  of  God  has  been 
ransomed. 

2.  That  the  blood  of  Christ  will  continue  to  have 
an  efficacious  eflfect,  until  all  the  ransomed  shall  be 
saved. 

No  language  could  be  more  explicit.  To  this  we 
may  add,  that  the  above  verse  is  taken  from  a  hymn 
composed  by  that  staunch  Calvinist,  William  Cowper. 

As  very  great  stress  is  laid  on  such  passages  of 
Scripture  as  the  following,  viz:  "He  died  for  all," 
*'  tasted  death  for  every  man,"  "  is  the  propitiation  for 
the  sins  of  the  whole  world,"  &c.,  we  will  make  a  few 
remarks  in  reference  to  them. 

We  have  shown  already  that  there  is  a  sense  in 
•which  Christ  "died  for  all,"  &c.,  but  not  in  the 
Arminian  sense.  We  will  show  now  that  the  pas- 
sages referred  to  do  not  necessarily  imply,  nor  teach 
unlimited  redemption.     This  we  will  do  by  showing, 

1.  That  such  expressions  are  very  often  used  by 
the  inspired  writers  in  a  limited  sense.  Thus,  Gen. 
xli.  54 — 57,  "  And  the  dearth  was  in  all  lands,  but 
in  Egypt  there  was  bread" — "  The  famine  was  over 
all  the  face  of  the  earth,"  "and  all  countries  came 
into  Egypt  to  Joseph,  to  buy  corn,  because  the  famine 
was  sore  in  all  lands." 

In  reference  to  this  we  remark,  1.  That  Egypt  was, 
comparatively,  a  small  country,  containing  an  area  of 

from  Arminius,  that  they  have  selected  it  from  his  writings,   to 
make  a  part  of  the  Biography  they  have  published  of  him. 
*  Hymn  290. 


THE   ATONEMENT.  127 

a  few  hundred  miles  only.  It  is  not  probable,  there- 
fore, that  the  quantity  of  grain  raised  there,  during 
the  seven  years  of  plenty,  was  sufficient  to  supply  "all 
countries  over  all  the  face  of  the  earth"  through  a 
"sore  famine  of  seven  years." 

2.  But  admitting  the  possibility,  yet  "  all  countries 
over  all  the  face  of  the  earth"  could  not  possibly  at 
that  period  have  obtained  it  from  Egypt,  if  indeed  it 
could  have  been  done  at  any  period.  "  All  countries 
over  all  the  face  of  the  earth"  must,  therefore,  be 
limited  to  the  comparatnvely  few  that  had  access  to 
Egypt.     See  also  Daniel  ii.  38,  iv.  1;  v.  19. 

But  not  to  multiply  examples  from  the  Old  Testa- 
ment, we  will  go  to  the  New. 

Matt.  iii.  1,  5,  6.  "In  those  days  came  John  the 
Baptist  preaching  in  the  wilderness  of  Judea,"  &c. 
"Then  went  out  to  him  Jerusalem,  and  all  Judea,  and 
all  the  region  round  about  Jordan,  and  were  baptized 
of  him."  But  notwithstanding  we  are  here  in- 
formed that  "all  went  and  were  baptized,"  Luke 
informs  us  that  "  the  Pharisees,  (the  most  nume- 
rous sect  among  the  Jews)  and  lawyers  were  not 
baptized  of  him."  Luke  vii.  30.  The  word  "all" 
must  therefore  be  here  limited  to  a  very  large  ma- 
jority. 

Mark  i.  36,  37.  "And  Simon  and  they  that  were 
with  him  followed  after  (Jesus),  and  when  they  found 
him  they  said  unto  him.  All  men  seek  after  thee." 
Did  they  intend  to  convey  the  idea  that  the  whole 
human  family  were  seeking  Christ?  or  that  many 
within  Judea  only,  desired  to  see  him  ? 

Mark  v.  20.  "All  men  did  marvel."  Did  the  sa- 
cred writer  intend,  or  expect  to  be  understood  as  say- 
ing that  all  the  then  living  sons  of  Adam  marvelled 
because  Christ  had  cured  a  maniac?  or  that  this  was 
true  of  the  comparatively  few  only,  who  had  heard 
of  it? 


128  THE   ATONEMENT. 

Luke  ii.  1,  3.  "  There  went  out  a  decree  from 
Caesar  Augustus  that  all  the  world  should  be  taxed." 
"And  all  went  to  be  taxed,  every  one  into  his  own 
city."  Did  "every  one"  of  the  human  family  go  to 
be  taxed?  or  such  only,  within  the  Roman  empire,  as 
could  go  ? 

John  xii.  19.  "  The  Pharisees  said  among  them- 
selves. Perceive  ye  how  ye  prevail  nothing  ?  behold 
the  world  is  gone  after  him."  Did  the  Pharisees  in- 
tend, or  expect  to  be  understood  as  saying  that  all  of 
Adam's  living  children  had  gone  after  Christ  ?  or 
simply  that  his  followers,  among  the  Jews,  had  be- 
come numerous? 

Acts  xvii.  21.  "  All  the  Athenians  and  strangers 
which  were  there,  spent  their  time  in  nothing  else  but 
either  to  tell  or  to  hear  some  new  thing."  Did  Luke 
expect  that  any  reader  would  understand  him  to  mean 
that  none  of  the  Athenians  did  anything  else  but 
what  is  here  mentioned?  or  that  such  was  a  very  com- 
mon habit  among  them  ? 

Acts  xix.  19.  "  Many  also  of  them  which  used 
curious  arts,  brought  their  books  together,  and  burned 
them  before  all  men."  Did  Luke  suppose  he  would 
be  understood  as  saying  that  this  was  done  in  presence 
of  the  whole  human  family?  or  simply  that  it  was 
done  publicly? 

Rom.  i.  8.  "  I  thank  God  through  Jesus  Christ  for 
you  all,  that  your  faith  is  spoken  of  throughout  the 
whole  world."  Did  not  Paul  expect  to  be  understood 
as  extending  his  meaning  no  further  than  to  the 
churches  then  planted,  most  of  which  were  within  the 
Roman  empire? 

Col.  i.  23.  "The  gospel  which  ye  have  heard,  and 
which  was  preached  to  every  creature  under  heaven." 
Akhough  the  commission  is  to  "preach  the  gospel  to 
every  creature,"  it  has  never  yet  been  done.  "Every 
creature  under  heaven"  must,  therefore,  have  been 


THE   ATONEMENT.  139 

intended  to  be  limited  to  those  who  had  heard  the 
gospel. 

Titus  ii.  11.  "  The  grace  of  God  that  bringeth  sal- 
vation hath  appeared  to  all  men."  Is  it  true  that 
"  the  grace"  here  referred  to,  had  then,  or  has,  at  any 
time  since,  appeared  to  the  whole  human  family?  If 
not,  Paul's  meaning  must  have  been  intended  to  bo 
limited  to  those  to  whom  it  had  appeared. 

Rev.  xiii.  3.  "  All  the  world  wondered  after  the 
beast."  Did  all  the  human  family  do  this  at  any 
time?  The  meaning  evidently  is,  that  very  many 
surveyed  the  pope  of  Rome  with  astonishment  and 
went  after  him. 

Such  expressions  are  common  in  all  languages,  and 
are  understood  to  be  limited  in  their  meaning  to  what 
the  sense  requires  in  the  connections  in  which  they 
stand.  The  same  is  true  of  the  atonement  also.  The 
creeds  of  all  evangelical  churches,  without  excep- 
tion, define  the  atonement  m  accordance  with  the 
teaching  of  the  Scriptures,  "  a  satisfaction  for  sin." 
But  for  whom  is  it  a  satisfaction?  If  it  is  "for  all 
the  sins  of  the  whole  world,  both  original  and  actual," 
then  all  will  infallibly  be  saved.  But  Arminians  deny 
that  all  will  be  saved,  and  this  denial  is  certainly  in 
accordance  with  the  most  explicit  and  unequivocal 
teaching  of  the  Holy  Scriptures.  For  the  sins  of 
whom,  then,  is  the  atonement  "a  satisfaction?" 

God  says  to  Abraham,  "  In  thee  shall  all  the  fami- 
lies of  the  earth  be  blessed."  Gen.  xii.  3.  Again  he 
says,  "  In  thy  seed  shall  all  nations  of  the  earth  be 
blessed."  Gen.  xxii.  18. 

The  blessing  here  promised  refers,  no  doubt,  to  the 
sacred  "Oracles"  which  were  committed  to,  and  pre- 
served by  his  posterity,  and  to  the  Redeemer,  who 
descended  from  him.  It  has  been  shown  already  that 
there  is  a  sense  in  which  all  are  literally  blessed  by 
the  posterity  of  Abraham,  but  that  in  the  sense  of 


laiO  EFFECTUAL   CALLING. 

universal  salvation  all  are  not  so  blessed.  How  then 
is  it  to  be  understood  in  reference  to  the  blessing  of 
salvation  ?  We  answer,  the  song  of  the  redeemed  ex- 
plains it,  "  Thou  has  redeemed  us  out  of  every  kindred, 
and  tongue,  and  nation,  and  people."  Rev.  v.  9. 

Again,  the  Apostle  John,  speaking  of  Christ,  says, 
"He  is  the  propitiation  for  our  sins,  and  not  for  ours 
only,  but  also  for  the  sins  of  the  whole  world." 
1  John  ii.  2. 

Is  it  asked  how  we  can  explain  this  consistently, 
with  the  idea  of  a  limited  atonement  ?  We  answer, 
Paul  explains  it,  when  he  says,  "  God  was  in  Christ 
reconciling  the  world  unto  himself,  not  imputing  their 
trespasses  unto  them,"  2  Cor.  v.  19.  We  may  say 
•with  confidence,  therefore,  that  Christ  is  the  propitia- 
tion for  the  sins  of  the  whole  world,  whom  God  is 
reconciling  unto  himself,  not  imputing  their  tres- 
passes unto  them. 


CHAPTER    XI. 


EFFECTUAL     CALLING. 


It  has  been  shown  that  the  eternal  plan  of  salvation, 
contemplated  the  human  family  as  fallen  in  Adam, 
"dead  in  sin,"  and  under  sentence  of  "condemna- 
tion"— that  of  men  thus  fallen,  some  were  "  given  to 
Christ,"  and  their  names  recorded  "in  the  book  of 
life  from  the  foundation  of  the  world" — that  for  the 
sins  of  these,  he  fully  satisfied  the  justice  of  God^ 
purchased  for  them  reconciliation  with  the  Father, 
and  an  everlasting  inheritance  in  the  kingdom  of 
heaven. 


EFFECTUAL   CALLING.  131 

But  before  he  came  in  the  flesh,  it  was  announced, 
that  he  "shouki  see  his  seed,"  Isaiah  liii.  10;   and 
"should  save  his  people  from  their  sins,"  Mat.  i.  21; 
that   "  a   seed   should   serve   him   vrhich    should    be 
accounted  to  the  Lord  for  a  generation,"  Psalm  xxii. 
30 ;  and   that  "  he   should  see  of  the  travail  of  hia 
soul,    and    be    satisfied,"  Isaiah  liii.   11 ;  that    "  his 
people  should  be  willing  in  the  day   of  his    power, 
Psalm   ex.  3 ;  and  that  "  the  ransomed  of  the  Lord 
should  return  and  come  to  Zion,"  Isaiah  xxxv.  10. 
Accordingly,  when  addressing  the  Father,  after  his 
incarnation,  he  says,  "  Thou  hast  given  him  power 
over  all  flesh,  that  he  should  give  eternal  life  to  as 
many  as  thou  hast  given  him,"  John  xvii.  2.     Again 
he  says  "  All  that  the  Father  giveth  me,  shall  come 
to  me,  and  him   that  cometh  to  me  I  will  in  no  wise 
cast  out.     For  I  came  down  from   heaven  not  to  do 
mine   own  will,   but  the   will   of  him  that   sent  me. 
And  this  is  the  Father's  will  that  hath  sent  me,  that 
of  all  which  he  hath  given  me,  I  should  lose  nothing, 
but  should  raise  it  up  at  the  last  day."     "  It  is  writ- 
ten in  the  prophets,  and  they  shall  be  all  taught  of 
God;  every  one,  therefore,  that  hath  learned  of  the 
Father,    cometh   unto    me,"    John    vi.  37 — 39,    45. 
"  All  that  ever  came  before  me  (professing  to  be  the 
Messiah)  are  thieves  and  robbers,  but  the  sheep  did 
not  hear  them."    "I  am  the  good  shepherd,  and  know 
my  sheep,  and  am  known  of  mine."     "  And  other 
sheep  I  have,  which  are  not  of  this  fold,  them  also  I 
must  bring,  and  they  shall  hear  my  voice,  and  there 
shall  be  one  fold,  and  one  shepherd."     "Ye  believe 
not  because  ye  are  not  of  my  sheep,  as  I  said  unto 
you.     My  sheep  hear  my  voice,  and  I  know  them, 
and  they  follow  me,  and  I  give  unto  them   eternal 
life,  and  they  shall  never  perish,  neither  shall  any 
pluck  them  out  of  my  hand.     My  Father  which  gave 
them  me  is  greater  than  all,  and  none  is  able  to  pluck 


132  EFFECTUAL   CALLING. 

them  out  of  my  Father's  hand."  John  x.  8,  14,  16, 
26—29. 

In  these  passages  we  are  taught  that  Christ  "  hath 
power  over  all  flesh  to  give  eternal  life  to  as  many 
as  were  given  him" — that,  in  addition  to  the  sheep 
already  gathered  into  his  Church,  he  has  others  that 
will,  in  due  time,  be  gathered  in — that  all  who  were 
given  him  shall  come  to  him,  and  that  not  one  of 
them  will  be  lost — that  they  shall  be  all  taught  of 
God,  and  having  learned  of  the  Father,  will  come  to 
the  Son — that  although  "  false  prophets  and  false 
Christs  may  arise,  and  show  great  signs  and  won- 
ders, so  that  if  it  were  possible  they  would  deceive 
the  very  elect,"  the  sheep  will  not  hear  them.  Mat. 
xxiv.  24;   Johnx.  5,  8. 

Again,  we  remark,  that  as  Christ  died  for  those 
that  were  given  to  him,  with  the  design  of  saving  them, 
so  also  for  them  he  prayed,  and  continues  to  pray. 
Addressing  the  Father,  he  says,  "  I  pray  not  for 
the  world,  but  for  them  which  thou  hast  given  me, 
for  they  are  thine."  "Neither  pray  I  for  these 
alone,  but  for  them  also  which  shall  believe  on  me 
through  their  word."     John  xvii.  9,  20. 

Again  he  says,  "  Father,  I  will  that  they  also 
whom  thou  hast  given  me  be  with  me  where  I  am, 
that  they  may  behold  my  glory."    John  xvii.  24. 

Now,  as  he  has  told  us  that  the  Father  "  has  heard 
him,  and  hears  him  always,"  (John  xi.  41,  42 ;)  and  as 
believers  have  such  "  an  advocate  with  the  Father," 
(1  John  ii.  1,)  they  may  well  say  with  the  Apostle, 
*'  Who  is  he  that  condemneth  ?  it  is  Christ  that  died, 
yea  rather,  that  is  risen  again,  who  is  even  at  the  right 
hand  of  God,  who  also  maketh  continual  intercession 
for  us,"  Rom.  viii.  34.  The  Presbyterian  Confession 
of  Faith  says,  accordingly,  that  "  To  all  those  for 
whom  Christ  hath  purchased  redemption,  he  doth  cer- 
tainly  and   effectually  apply  and  communicate   the 


EFFECTUAL  CALLING.  133 

same,  making  intercession  for  them,  and  revealing 
unto  them,  in  and  by  his  word,  the  mysteries  of  sal- 
vation, effectually  persuading  them  by  his  Spirit  to 
believe  and  obey."* 

We  have  now  given  a  summary  view  of  the  doctrine 
of  the  Presbyterian  Church  in  reference  to  the  efficacy 
of  the  divine  call.  We  will,  in  the  next  place,  pre- 
sent the  Calvinistic  doctrine  of  the  Methodist  Church 
on  the  same  subject. 

They  "  have  established,"  as  has  been  shown,  "  that 
the  import  of  the  death  threatened  to  Adam,  included 
corporal,  spiritual  and  eternal  death,  and  that  the 
sentence  included  the  whole  of  his  posterity" — that 
although  "  a  full  provision  to  meet  the  case  is  made  in 
the  gospel,  that  does  not  affect  the  state  in  which  we 
are  born" — that  "in  Adam  all  died,  all  human  kind, 
all  the  children  of  men  that  were  then  in  Adam's 
loins.  The  natural  consequence  of  which  is,  that 
every  one  descended  from  him  comes  into  the  world 
spiritually  dead,  dead  to  God,  void  of  the  image  of 
God,  and  of  all  that  righteousness  and  holiness  wherein 
Adam  was  created" — that  consequently,  "an  entire 
indifference  or  aversion  to  heavenly  things  is  repre- 
sented as  the  state  of  all  who  are  not  quickened  by 
the  instrumentality  of  the  gospel,  employed  by  the 
power  and  agency  of  the  divine  Author" — that  "  such 
is  the  corrupt  state  of  man,  that  to  suppose  him  capable 
of  evangelical  repentance,  which  is  the  result  of  a 
genuine  principle,  is  to  assume  human  nature  to  be 
what  it  is  not" — that  "  boasting  of  our  faith  is  cut  off 
by  the  consideration  that  it  is  the  gift  of  God" — that 
"  the  reason  why  all  men  have  not  (saving)  faith,  is 
because  no  man  is  able  to  work  it  in  himself.  It 
being  the  work  of  Omnipotence,  requires  no  less 
power  thus  to  quicken  a  dead  soul,  than  to  quicken  a 

*  See  Confession  of  Faith,  Chap.  viii.  Sec.  viii. 

12 


18i  EFFECTUAL  CALLING. 

dead  body  that  lies  in  the  grave,  and  none  can  create 
a  soul  anew,  but  He  who  at  first  created  the  heavens 
and  the  earth." 

If  then,  such  be  the  spiritual  death  of  fallen  man, 
nothing  short  of  an  effectual  call  from  God  can  bring 
him  into  an  estate  of  spiritual  life.  Accordingly,  we 
have  the  following  from  Arminius,  as  quoted  by 
Watson : 

*'  It  is  impossible  for  free  will  without  grace  to  be- 
gin or  perfect  any  true  or  spiritual  good.  I  say,  the 
grace  of  Christ  which  pertains  to  regeneration,  is  sim- 
ply and  absolutely  necessary  for  the  illumination  of 
the  mind,  the  ordering  of  the  affections,  and  the  incli- 
nation of  the  will  to  that  which  is  good.  It  is  that 
which  operates  on  the  mind,  the  aflfections  and  the 
will;  which  infuses  good  thoughts  into  the  mind,  in- 
spires good  desires  into  the  afiections,  and  leads  the 
will  to  execute  good  thoughts  and  good  desires.  It 
prevents,,  (goes  before,)  accompanies  and  follows.  It 
excites,  assists,  works  in  us  to  will,  and  works  with  us, 
that  we  may  not  work  in  vain.  ...  It  begins,  pro- 
motes, perfects,  and  consummates  salvation.  I  confess 
that  the  mind  of  the  natural  and  carnal  man  is  dark- 
ened, his  affections  are  depraved  and  disordered,  his 
will  is  refractory,  and  that  the  man  is  dead  in  sin."* 

Mr.  Wesley  is  as  decided  as  Arminius — "  God  works 
in  you,  therefore  you  can  work,  otherwise  it  would  be 
impossible.  If  he  did  not  work  in  you,  it  would  be 
impossible  for  you  to  work  out  your  own  salvation.  .  .  . 
Yea,  it  would  be  impossible  for  any  that  is  born  .of  a 
woman,  unless  God  work  in  him.  Seeing  all  men  are 
by  nature  not  only  sick,  but  dead  in  trespasses  and  in 
sins,  it  is  not  possible  for  them  to  do  anything  well 
till  God  raises  them  from  the  dead.  It  was  impossi- 
ble for  Lazarus  to  come  forth  out  of  the  grave  till  the 

*  Theological  Institutes,  Part  II.  Chap,  xviii. 


,  EFFECTUAL  CALLING.  135 

Lord  had  given  him  life ;  and  it  is  equally  impossible 
for  us  to  come  forth  out  of  our  sins;  yea,  or  to  make 
the  least  motion  towards  it,  till  He  who  hath  all  power 
in  heaven  and  in  earth  call  our  dead  souls  into  life."* 

The  Articles  of  Religion  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal 
Church  say,  "  The  condition  of  man  after  the  fall  of 
Adam  is  such,  that  he  cannot  turn  and  prepare  him- 
self by  his  own  natural  strength  and  works,  to  faith 
and  calling  upon  God — wherefore  we  have  no  power 
to  do  good  works,  pleasant  and  acceptable,  without  the 
grace  of  God,  by  Christ  preventing  us,  that  we  may 
have  a  good  will,  and  working  with  us  while  we  have 
that  good  will."  (Article  VIII.) 

Mr.  Wesley  and  the  General  Conference  say,  "  Nei- 
ther this  opinion  nor  that,  but  the  love  of  God  humbles 
man,  and  that  only.  Let  but  this  be  shed  abroad  in 
his  heart,  and  he  abhors  himself  in  dust  and  ashes. 
As  soon  as  this  enters  into  his  soul,  lowly  shame 
covers  his  face.  That  thought,  'What  is  God?  What 
hath  he  done  for  me?'  is  immediately  followed  by 
*What  am  I?'  And  he  knoweth  not  what  to  do,  or 
where  to  hide,  or  how  to  abase  himself  before  the 
great  God  ot  love."t 

The  Rev.  R.  Watson  says,  "  God  employs  various 
means  to  awaken  men  to  a  due  sense  of  their  fallen  and 
endangered  condition,  and  to  prompt  and  influence 
them  (sometimes  with  mighty  efficacy,)  to  seek  his 
favour  and  grace  in  the  way  which  he  has  ordained 
himself  in  hia  revealed  word.'J 

Thus  far  we  are  taught,  as  explicitly  as  language 
can  teach  it,  that  such  is  the  state  of  spiritual  death 
into  which  men  are  fallen,  that  God  only  can  call 
them  into  a  state  of  spiritual  life,  and  that  this  he 
"sometimes  does  with  mighty  efficacy."     If  then,  a 

*  Sermon  on  Working  out  our  own  Salvation. 

t  Doctrinal  Tracts,  pp.  89,  90. 

X  Theological  Institutes,  Part  II.  Chapter  xxiii. 


136  EFFECTUAL  CALLING. 

man  does  not  build  a  house  without  having  intended 
to  build  it,  nor  Congress  adjourn  without  having  in- 
tended to  adjourn,  nor  the  President  sign  a  bill  without 
having  intended  to  sign  it,  &c.,  &c.,  neither  does  God 
impart  spiritual  life  in  any  case,  without  having  in- 
tended to  impart  it.  Unless,  therefore,  he  imparts  it 
to  all,  he  must  have  selected  those  to  whom  he  im- 
parts it.  Accordingly,  the  Rev.  R.  Watson  says, 
"  How  truly  is  our  salvation  of  God.  God  sought 
Saul,  it  was  not  Saul  that  first  sought  God.  So  it 
has  been  in  regard  to  us,  though  the  case  as  to  our- 
selves be  attended  with  less  that  is  remarkable,  yet  it 
is  equally  trjie.  Never  should  we  have  turned  from 
the  world  and  sin  to  God,  had  he  not  laid  his  hand 
upon  us,  and  given  us  at  once  the  disposition  and  the 
power."* 

Now  this  accords  with  the  teaching  of  the  Scrip- 
tures. Psalm  Ixv.  4,  "Blessed  is  the  man  whom  thou 
choosest  and  causest  to  approach  unto  thee." 

This  teaches,  1.  That  some  are  chosen.  There  is 
election.  2.  That  those  who  are  chosen  are  "  caused 
to  approach  unto  God."  There  is  the  effectual  call  to 
the  elect.  Acts  xiii.  48.  "  And  when  the  gentiles  heard 
this  (the  discourse  of  Barnabas  and  Paul)  they  were 
glad,  and  glorified  the  word  of  the  Lord;  and  as  many 
as  were  ordained  to  eternal  life  believed." 

This  teaches,  1.  That  some  are  ordained  to  eternal 
life.  There  is  election.  2.  That  under  the  preaching 
of  the  gospel,  those  who  are  "  ordained  to  eternal  life 
believe."  There  is  the  efficacy  of  the  call  to  the 
elect. 

Rom.  viii.  28 — "  For  we  know  that  all  things  work 
together  for  good  to  them  that  love  God,  to  them  who 
are  the  called  according  to  his  purpose.  For  whom 
be  did  foreknow,  he  also  did  predestinate  to  be  con- 

*  Sermon  on  the  Conversion  of  Saul. 


EFFECTUAL   CALLING.  187 

formed  to  the  image  of  his  Son,  that  he  might  be  the 
first-born  among  many  brethren.  Moreover,  whom 
he  did  predestinate,  them  he  also  called,  and  whom  he 
called,  them  he  also  justified,  and  whom  he  justified, 
them  he  also  glorified." 

This  teaches,  1.  That  some  are  predestinated  to  be 
conformed  to  the  image  of  Christ.  There  is  election. 
2.  That  as  they  are  predestinated  to  that  blessing, 
their  election  is  unconditional.  3.  That  they  who  are 
so  predestinated,  are  called,  justified,  and  glorified. 
There  is  the  end  of  their  election.  4.  That  although 
all  who  hear  the  gospel  are  in  one  sense  called,  they 
only  who  are  called  according  to  the  purpose  of  God, 
and  predestinated  to  be  conformed  to  the  image  of  his 
Son,  are  so  called  as  to  be  justified  and  glorified. 
There  is  the  efficacy  of  the  call. 

We  have  now  seen  that  the  human  family  are,  in 
consequence  of  Adam's  sin,  in  a  state  of  spiritual 
death,  and  under  sentence  of  condemnation — that  out 
of  the  mere  good  pleasure  of  God  some  of  these  were 
"chosen,"  and  in  due  time  "caused  to  approach  unto 
God,"  "ordained  to  eternal  life,"  and  in  due  time, 
"believe."  "Predestinated  to  be  conformed  to  the 
image  of  Christ,"  and  in  due  time  so  "called,"  as  to 
be  "justified"  and  "glorified." 

Now,  this  corresponds  exactly  with  the  teaching  of 
Mr.  Wesley  and  his  brethren.  These  we  have  seen 
"  differed  in  nothing  from  the  doctrines  of  the  Church 
of  England,  as  laid  down  in  her  Prayers,  Articles,  and 
Homilies."*  The  seventeenth  article  of  the  Church 
of  England  is  as  follows,  viz.  "  Predestination  to  life, 
is  the  everlasting  purpose  of  God,  whereby,  before  the 
foundations  of  the  world  were  laid,  he  hath  constantly 
decreed  by  his  counsel,  secret  to  us,  to  deliver  from 
curse  and  damnation  those  whom  he  hath  chosen  in 

*  Watson's  Life  of  Wesley,  pp.  76,  77. 

12* 


138  EFFECTUAL   CALLING. 

Christ  out  of  mankind,  and  to  bring  them  by  Christ 
to  everlasting  salvation,  as  vessels  made  to  honour. 
Wherefore  they  which  he  endued  with  so  excellent  a 
benefit  of  God,  he  called  according  to  God's  purpose 
by  his  Spirit  working  in  due  season ;  they  through 
grace  obey  the  calling ;  they  be  made  sons  of  God  by 
adoption ;  they  be  made  like  the  image  of  his  only 
begotten  Son,  Jesus  Christ;  they  walk  religiously  in 
good  works,  and  at  length  by  God's  mercy  they  attain 
to  everlasting  felicity." 

Such  then  is  the  Calvinistic  teaching  of  the  Metho- 
dist Episcopal  Church  in  reference  to  the  doctrine  of 
effectual  calling.  The  only  difference  thus  far  be- 
tween them  and  those  who  adopt  the  Westminister 
Confession  of  Faith,  is  this,  Methodists  maintain  that 
God  sends  countless  millions  to  hell,  notwithstanding 
"  a  perfect  redemption,  propitiation  and  satisfaction 
has  been  made  for  all  their  sins,"  while  Presbyterians 
maintain  that  he  takes  all  such  to  heaven. 

Having  presented  the  Calvinistic  and  scriptural 
view  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal  Church  on  this  sub- 
ject, we  will  present  next  their  hyper-Calvinistic  view, 
viz.  irresistible  grace. 

'•It  will  be  freely  allowed,"  says  Mr.  Watson, 
"  that  the  visitations  of  the  gracious  influence  of  the 
Holy  Spirit  are  vouchsafed  in  the  first  instance,  and 
in  numberless  other  cases,  quite  independent  of  our 
seeking  or  desiring  them  .  .  .  and  also  that  men  are 
sometimes  suddenly  and  irresistibly  awakened  to  a 
sense  of  their  guilt  and  danger  by  the  Spirit  of  God, 
either  through  the  preaching  of  the  word  instrument- 
ally,  or  through  other  means,  and  sometimes  even 
independent  of  any  external  means  at  all,  and  are  thus 
constrained  to  cry  out,  '  What  must  I  do  to  be  saved?' 
All  this  is  confirmed  by  plain  verity  of  Holy  Writ."* 

Notwithstanding  it   is   here    admitted  that    "men 

*  Theological  Institutes,  Part  II.  Chap,  xxviii. 


EFFECTUAL  OALLINQ.  199 

are  sometimes  suddenly  and  irresistibly  awakened," 
it  is  denied  that  such  an  influence  is  ever  continued 
till  conversion.  "For,"  say  they,  "in  the  instance  of 
the  mightiest  visitation  we  can  produce  from  Scrip- 
ture, that  of  St.  Paul,  we  see  when  the  irresistible 
influence  terminated,  and  when  his  own  agency  re- 
commenced. Under  the  impulse  of  the  conviction 
struck  into  his  mind,  as  well  as  under  the  dazzling 
brightness  which  fell  upon  his  eyes,  he  was  passive, 
and  the  effect  produced  for  the  time  necessarily  fol- 
lowed; but  all  the  acts  consequent  upon  this,  were 
the  results  of  deliberation,  and  personal  choice."* 

Here,  it  is  admitted  that  the  divine  influence  was 
irresistible  until  the  subject  of  it  became  both  willing 
and  obedient — that  is,  the  grace  6f  God  "worked  in 
him  both  to  will  and  to  do"  what  God  required.  But 
if  anything  more  is  necessary  to  constitute  a  man  a 
Christian,  Arminians  will  do  the  world  a  favour  by 
telling  what  it  is.  So  then,  Mr.  Watson  does  teach 
the  occasional  irresistible  efiicacy  of  the  divine  call. 

Mr.  Wesley  and  the  General  Conference  not  only 
"allow  (that)  God  may  possibly,  at  sometimes  work 
irresistibly  in  some  souls  (but)  believe  he  does."f 
Mr.  Wesley  admits  also,  that  "there  are  exempt 
cases,  wherein  the  overwhelming  power  of  divine 
grace  does  for  a  time  work  as  irresistibly,  as  light- 
ning falling  from  heaven. "| 

Again  he  says:  "I  believe  that  the  grace  which 
brings  faith,  and  thereby  salvation,  into  the  soul,  is 
irresistible  at  that  moment  ;  that  most  persons  do, 
at  some  other  times,  find  God,  irresistibly  acting  upon 
their  souls.  Yet,  I  believe  that  the  grace  of  God, 
both  before  and  after  those  moments,  may  be,  and 
hath  been  resisted;  and  that  in  general,  it  does   not 

*  Theological  Institutes,  part  II.  Chap,  xxviii. 

f  Doctrinal  Tracts  page  87. 

X  Sermon  on  the  General  Spread  of  the  Gospel. 


140  EFFECTUAL  CALLING. 

act  irresistibly,  but  we  may  comply  tberewitb,  or  may 
not.  And  I  do  not  deny,  that  in  some  souls  the  grace 
of  God  is  so  far  irresistible,  that  they  cannot  but  be- 
lieve, and  be  finally  saved."* 

*  While  then,  the  divines  of  Geneva  speak  of  "  eflS- 
cacious  grace,"  and  the  divines  of  Westminster  say 
that  "  God  effectually  calls  men  by  his  word  and 
Spirit,  &c.,  yet  so  that  they  come  most  freely,  being 
made  willing  by  his  grace,"t  the  hyper-Calvinistic 
Methodist  Episcopal  Church  teaches,  that  there  are 
cases  wherein  divine  grace  is  "  as  irresistible  as 
lightning" — that  "  men  are  sometimes  suddenly  and 
irresistibly  awakened  to  a  sense  of  their  guilt  and 
danger,"  and  the  influence  continued  until  they  both 
will,  and  do,  as  God  requires;  that  "the  grace  of 
God  which  bringeth  faith  and  thereby  salvation  into 
the  soul,  is  irresistible  at  that  moment,"  and  it  is 
"not  denied,  that  in  some  souls,  the  grace  of  God  is 
so  far  irresistible,  that  they  cannot  but  believe,  and  be 
finally  saved." 

But  we  will  show  next  what  they  teach  as  Armini- 
ans  on  this  subject.  "It  will  not  bear  disputing," 
says  Mr.  Watson  "whether  regeneration  begins  with 
repentance.  For  if  the  regenerate  state  is  only 
entered  upon  at  our  justification,  then,  all  that  can 
be  meant  by  it,  to  be  consistent  with  the  scripture,  is, 
that  the  preparatory  process  which  leads  to  regenera- 
tion, as  it  leads  to  pardon,  commences  with  convic- 
tion and  contrition,  and  goes  on  to  a  repentant  turn- 
ing to  the  Lord.  In  the  order  God  has  established, 
regeneration  does  not  take  place  without  this  pro- 
cess. Conviction  of  the  evil  and  danger  of  an  unre- 
generate  state  must  first  be  felt.  God  hath  ap- 
pointed this  change  to  be  effected  in  answer  to  our 
prayers,  and  acceptable  prayer  supposes  we  desire  the 

*  Works,  Vol.  iii.  p.  289.        f  Confession  of  Faith,  x.  Chap.  Sec.  i. 


EFFECTUAL  CALLINa.  141 

blessings  we  ask — that  we  accept  of  Christ  as  the 
appointed  medium  of  access  to  God — that  we  feel 
and  confess  our  inability  to  obtain  what  we  ask  of 
another ;  and  that  we  exercise  faith  in  the  promises 
of  God,  which  convey  the  good  we  seek.  It  is  clear 
that  none  of  these  is  regeneration,  for  they  all  sup- 
pose it  to  be  a  good  in  prospect,  the  object  of  prayer 
and  eager  desire."*  "  Regeneration  is  effected  by 
this  ("sanctifying")  Spirit  restored  to  us,  and  is  a 
consequence  of  our  pardon."f 

"  To  be  in  Christ  is  to  be  justified,  and  regenera- 
tion instantly  follows."|  "  God,  the  fountain  of 
spiritual  life,  forsook  the  soul  of  Adam,  now  polluted 
by  sin,  (through  the  fall)  and  unfit  for  his  residence. 
He  became  morally  dead  and  corrupt,  and  as  that 
which  is  born  of  the  flesh  is  flesh,  this  is  the  natural 
state  of  his  descendants."§ 

"  The  second  Adam  is  a  quickening  Spirit.  The 
Holy  Spirit  is  the  purchase  of  his  redemption,  to  be 
given  to  man,  that  he  may  infuse  into  his  corrupt 
nature  the  heavenly  life,  and  sanctify  and  regenerate 
it."|| 

In  these  quotations  Mr.  Watson  teaches  that  we 
exercise  a  living  faith  in  Christ,  evangelical  repent- 
ance toward  God,  and  are  justified,  or  pardoned,  and 
offer  earnest  and  acceptable  prayer  for  the  renovation 
of  our  corruptible  nature,  before  we  are  regenerated. 
But  if,  as  they  have  said  before,  "  the  state  of  the 
regenerate  mind  is  represented  as  a  resurrection,  and 
a  passing  from  death  unto  life, "^  and  "repentance 
is  the  result  of  a  genuine  principle,"**  "  flowing 
from  love  to  God,  and  hatred  to  sin,"tt  and  "  seri- 
ous   considerations   of  our   ways,    confession  of  the 


*  Theological  Institutes,  Part  II.  Chap.  xxiv.  f  Ibid. 

t  Ibid.  2  Ibid.  Chap,  xviii.         ||  Ibid.  j  Ibid. 

**  Ibid.  Chap.  xix.         f  f  Wesley's  Sermon  on  the  New  Birth. 


142  EFFECTUAL  CALLING. 

fact,  and  sorrowful  conviction  of  the  evil  and  danger 
of  sin,  will  follow  the  gift  of  repentance,"*  we  ask 
with  Wesley,  "Is  it  possible  for  a  heart  totally  cor- 
rupt, '  dead  in  trespasses  and  in  sins,'  to  exercise 
such  repentance ?"f  Again,  if  "boasting  of  our 
faith,  is  cut  off  by  the  consideration,  that  it  is  the 
gift  of  God, "I  and  if  "  the  true,  living  Christian 
faith,  which,  whosoever  hath,  is  born  of  God,  is  not 
only  an  assent  of  the  mind,  or  act  of  the  understand- 
ing, but  a  disposition  wrought  in  heart,"§  "it  is  a 
new  creation." 

Again,  while  Mr.  Watson  says,  "  To  be  in  Christ, 
is  to  be  justified,  and  regeneration  instantly  follows," 
Paul  says,  "If  any  man  be  in  Christ,  he  is  a  new 
creature."     2  Cor.  v.  17. 

So  then,  while  Mr.  Watson  and  the  General  Confer- 
ence represent  the  sinner  as  exercising  evangelical 
repentance  and  faith — as  being  united  to  Christ  and 
praying  for  regeneration;  according  to  themselves, 
Mr.  Wesley,  and  Paul,  he  has  already  obtained  what 
he  is  praying  for,  and  labouring  to  obtain,  viz.  a  new 
heart. 

Again,  if  "  the  carnal  mind  is  enmity  against  God, 
not  subject  to  the  law  of  God,  neither  indeed  can  be, 
80  that  they  who  are  in  the  flesh  cannot  please  God,"|| 
he  who  exercises  such  repentance  and  faith,  and  offers 
such  prayer  as  God  accepts,  is  "  created  anew  in 
Christ  Jesus  unto  good  works  "** — is  born  again,  and 
that  not  of  blood,  nor  of  the  will  of  the  flesh,  nor  of 
the  will  of  man,  but  of  God."tt  Accordingly  the 
prophet  Jeremiah,  personating  Ephraim,  says,  "  Sure- 

*  Theological  Institutes,  Part  II.  Chap,  xxiii. 

f  Sermon  on  the  New  Birth. 

j  Theological  Institutes,  Part  II.  Chap,  xxiii. 

I  Wesley's  Sermon  on  the  Marks  of  the  New  Birih. 

II  Rom.  viii.  7,  8.  **  Eph.  ii.  10. 
tt  John  i.  13;  iu.  18,  36;  v.  24;  vi.  47. 


EFFECTUAL  CALLING.  145 

ly  after  that  I  was  turned  I  repented,  and  after  that 
I  was  instructed,  I  smote  upon  my  thigh.  I  was 
ashamed,  yea  even  confounded.     Jeremiah  xxxi.  19. 

But  although  such  language  expresses  the  feelings 
of  every  true  penitent,  according  to  Mr.  Watson  and 
the  General  Conference,  it  should  read,  "  After  I 
repented,  and  was  instructed,  and  smote  upon  my 
thigh,  and  was  ashamed,  yea  even  confounded,  I  waa 
turned." 

Again,  according  to  Paul,  "  They  that  are  in  the 
flesh,  cannjt  please  God."  Rom.  viii.  8.  But  ac- 
cording to  Watson  and  the  General  Conference,  they 
can. 

Again  Mr.  Watson  says,  "  the  Holy  Spirit  is  given 
to  man  that  he  may  infuse  into  his  corrupt  nature, 
the  heavenly  life,  and  sanctify  and  regenerate  it." 

Can  any  one  tell  what  will  be  left  in  "the  corrupt 
nature  of  man"  to  "regenerate,"  after  "the  Holy 
Spirit"  has  infused  into  it  heavenly  life  and  sanctified 
it?" 

Dr.  Fisk  has  "laid  down  the  two  following  funda- 
mental principles :" 

1.  "  The  work  of  regeneration  is  performed  by  the 
direct  and  eflScient  operations  of  the  Holy  Spirit  upon 
the  heart. 

2.  "  The  Holy  Spirit  exerts  this  regenerating  power 
only  on  conditions  to  be  first  complied  with  by  the 
subject  of  this  change."* 

Again  he  says,  "Repentance  and  faith  are  suppos- 
ed to  be  the  gospel  conditions  of  regeneration,  but  it 
is  denied  that  these  are  necessarily  regeneration 
itself,  or  that  they  imply  regeneration  in  any  other 
sense  than  as  antecedents  to  it."t  "If  God  will  not 
forgive  sin  without  repentance,  will  he  renew  the 
heart  without  it?     Has  he  anywhere  promised  this? 

*  CalTinistio  Controversy,  No.  xiv.  f  Ibid.  xv. 


144  EFFECTUAL   CALLING.  ' 

If  not,  but  if  on  the  contrary,  he  everywhere  seems 
to  have  suspended  the  working  out  of  our  salvation 
in  us,  upon  our  repentance,  then  may  we  safely  con- 
clude— nay,  then  we  must  necessarily  believe  that 
we  repent  in  order  to  be  renewed.  The  same  may 
be  said  of  faith."* 

"  The  order  of  the  work  seems  to  be — 1.  A  degree 
of  faith  in  order  to  repentance.  2.  Repentance  in 
order  to  such  an  increase  of  faith,  as  will  lead  the 
soul  to  throw  itself  upon  Christ.  3.  The  giving  up 
of  the  soul  to  Christ  as  the  only  ground  of  hope. 
4.  The  change  of  heart  by  the  efficient  operation  of 
the  Holy  Spirit."t 

Here  then,  we  have — 1.  "A  degree  of  faith  in 
order  to  repentance,"  and — 2.  Repentance  in  order 
to  an  increase  of  faith."  But  surely,  if  repentance 
is  necessary  "  to  an  increase  of  faith,"  it  must  be  ne- 
cessary to  originate  faith :  for  if  faith  can  originate 
without  repentance,  it  may  unquestionably  increase 
without  it.  But  if  repentance  is  necessary  to  origi- 
nate faith,  yet  comes  second  in  the  order,  then  it  is 
manifest  that  there  can  be  neither  saving  faith,  nor 
repentance  previous  to  regeneration. 

But  farther:  God  says  of  Jeremiah,  "Before  thou 
earnest  forth  out  of  the  womb,  I  sanctified  thee." 
Jer.  i.  5.  And  of  John  the  Baptist  it  was  said,  "  He 
shall  be  filled  with  the  Holy  Ghost,  even  from  his 
mother's  womb."     Luke  i.  15. 

When  therefore,  Arminians  tell  us  that  "  Repent- 
ance and  faith  are  the  gospel  conditions  of  regenera- 
tion," and  that  the  Holy  Spirit  exerts  his  regenera- 
ting power,  only  after  these  conditions  are  complied 
with  by  the  subject  of  the  change,"  they  flatly  con- 
tradict the  Bible,  not  in  reference  to  these  cases  only, 
but  in  reference  to  every  infant  in  heaven. 

Again,  the    "  valley  of  dry  bones"   in   Ezekiel's 

*  Calvinistic  Controversy,  No.  xv.  f  Ibid. 


EFFECTUAL   CALLING.  145 

vision,  was  said  to  represent  the  "  whole  house  of 
Israel,"  and  is  admitted  to  represent  the  unregener- 
ate  human  family ;  and  their  coming  together,  being 
clothed  with  flesh,  living  and  standing  up,  under  the 
preaching  of  the  prophet,  is,  on  all  hands  admitted  to 
prefigure  regeneration  under  the  preaching  of  the 
gospel.  Ezek.  xxvii.  Accordingly  Paul,  addressing 
the  Ephesians  says,  "  And  you  hath  he  quickened, 
who  were  dead  in  tresspasses  and  sins."  Eph.  ii.  1. 
Now  surely,  if  repentance  and  faith  are  the  prerequi- 
sites of  regeneration,  not  one  of  those  dry  bones 
would  have  ever  lived.  These  divines  therefore  con- 
tradict the  Bible  as  to  adults  also. 

Finally,  they  contradict  its  teaching  as  laid  down 
by  Arminius.  "  In  his  lapsed  and  sinful  state," 
says  he,  "  man  is  not  capable  of,  and  by  himself, 
either  to  think,  to  will,  or  to  do,  that  which  is  really 
good ;  but  it  is  necessary  for  him  to  be  regenerated, 
and  renewed  in  his  intellect,  affections,  or  will,  and 
in  all  his  powers  by  God  in  Christ,  through  the  Holy 
Spirit,  that  he  may  be  qualified  rightly  to  understand, 
esteem,  consider,  will,  and  perform  whatever  is  truly 
good."* 

As  then,  the  theory  of  regeneration  under  review 
flatly  contradicts  the  Bible,  and  the  Bible,  as  inter- 
preted by  Arminius,  it  must  be  false.  But  there  is 
still  another  view  of  this  subject  we  wish  to  notice. 

The  Rev.  R.  Watson  tells  us  that,  "  The  atone- 
ment of  Christ,  having  made  it  morally  practicable 
to  exercise  mercy,  and  having  removed  all  legal  ob- 
structions out  of  the  way  of  reconciliation,  that 
mercy  pours  itself  forth  in  ardent  and  ceaseless  efforts 
to  accomplish  its  own  purposes,"  &c.t 

Here  the  Deity  is  represented  as  making  "  ardent 

*  Life  of  Arminius,  by  Bangs,  page  224. 

f  Theological  Institutes,  Part  II.  Chap,  xxiii. 

13 


146  EFFECTUAL   CALLING. 

and  ceaseless  eflforts  to  accomplish  his  purposes,"  yet 
as  unable  to  do  so. 

Again,  Mr.  Wesley,  in  a  conversation  with  the 
Bishop  of  London,  in  reference  to  "Justification  by 
faith  alone,"  remarked,  that  "  the  gift  of  faith,  pre- 
supposes nothing  in  us  but  sin  and  misery." 

"Then,"  said  the  Bishop,  "you  make  God  a 
tyrannical  being,  if  he  justifies  some  without  any 
goodness  in  them  preceding,  and  does  not  justify  all. 
If  these  are  not  justified  on  account  of  some  moral 
goodness  in  them,  why  are  not  they  justified  too?" 

To  this  Wesley  replied,  "  Because,  my  lord,  they 
resist  his  Spirit;  because  they  will  not  come  to  him 
that  they  may  have  life ;  because  they  suifer  him 
not  to  work  in  them  both  to  will  and  to  do,"*  &c. 
That  is,  they  do  not  will  to  permit  the  Almighty 
to  work  in    them  to  will  and  to  do. 

In  our  first  chapter  it  was  shown  that,  according  to 
Arminians,  the  devil  is  an  overmatch  for  God;  and 
now,  according  to  the  same  authority,  we  see  him 
overmatched  by  man  also.  Again,  they  represent 
the  Almighty  as  "  saving  all  that  consent  thereto, 
and  doing  for  the  rest,  all  that  infinite  wisdom,  al- 
mighty power,  and  boundless  love  can  do,  without 
forcing  them  to  be  saved,  which  would  be  to  destroy 
the  very  nature  he  had  given  them."f 

But  if  this  be  true,  there  is  no  sense  in  beseeching 
almighty  God  to  "take  away  the  stony  heart,  and 
give  us  an  heart  of  flesh,"|  or  to  "  create  in  us  a 
clean  heart,  and  renew  a  right  spirit  within  us,"§  or  to 
"  work  in  us  both  to  will  and  to  do  of  his  good 
pleasure."  Phil.  ii.  13.  The  proper  way  would  be  to 
beseech  almighty  man,  to  permit  God  to  change  and 
save  his  soul. 

*  Whitehead's  Life  of  Wesley,  page  75. 

f  Doctrinal  Tracts,  page  56. 

X  Ezekiel  xxxvi.  26.  §  Psalm  li.  10. 


EFFECTUAL   CALLING.  l4f 

Again,  Mr.  Wesley,  commenting  on  Romans  viii. 
28,  viz.  "  For  whom  he  did  foreknow,  he  also  did 
predestinate  to  be  conformed  to  the  image  of  his 
Son,"  says,  "  That  is,  those  who  are  conformable."* 

Here  Mr.  Wesley  represents  the  Almighty  as  un- 
dertaking such  cases  only,  as  he  knows  he  can 
manage;  that  is,  he  undertakes  the  easy  ones.  The 
same  idea  is  presented  by  the  General  Conference, 
when,  speaking  of  the  work  of  sanctification,  they 
say,  "  We  know  likewise,  that  God  may,  with  man's 
good  leave,  cut  short  his  work  in  whatever  degree  he 
pleases,  and  do  the  usual  work  of  many  years  in  a 
moment."t 

This,  it  is  true,  is  somewhat  different  from  Mr. 
Wesley,  when,  in  his  review  of  Taylor  on  Original 
Sin,  he  asks,  "What  is  holiness?  Is  it  not  essen- 
tially love,  the  love  of  God  and  all  mankind,  love 
producing  *  bowels  of  mercies,  humbleness  of  mind, 
meekness,  gentleness,  long-suffering?'  And  cannot 
God  shed  abroad  this  love  in  any  soul  without  his 
concurrence,  antecedent  to  his  knowledge  or  con- 
sent ?"| 

Again,  Mr.  Wesley  and  the  General  Conference 
represent  Christ  as  "  saving  all  that  consent  there- 
to,"! and  as  "electing  all,  who  suffer  him  to  make 
them  alive."|| 

But  if  this  be  true,  then  it  follows  that  he  cannot 
"  quicken"  some  of  those  who  are  "  dead  in  sin," 
without  their  "  consent,"  nor  give  life  to  all  such 
"  dry  bones,"  as  were  seen  in  Ezekiel's  vision,  unless 
they  "  suffer  him"  to  do  so.  This  certainly  is  some- 
what different  from  Mr.  Wesley,  when  he  says,  "  In 
the  same   manner   that  he   has  assisted  five  in  one 

*  Notes  on  the  New  Testament. 

•j-  Doctrinal  Tracts,  page  345. 

X  Works,  Vol.  V.  page  660. 

I  Doctrinal  Tracts,  page  56.  j|  Ibid,  page  174. 


148  EFFECTUAL   CALLING. 

house  to  make  the  happy  choice,  fifty  or  five  hun- 
dred in  one  city,  and  many  thousands  in  a  nation, 
without  destroying  their  liberty,  he  can  undoubtedly 
convert  whole  nations,  or  the  whole  world."*  There 
is  still  another  inconsistency  or  so,  connected  with 
this  subject,  which  we  wish  to  notice. 

Mr.  Wesley  says,  "  It  may  be  allowed  God  acts  as 
a  sovereign,  in  convincing  some  souls  of  sin,  arresting 
them  in  their  mad  career  by  resistless  power.  It 
seems  also,  that  at  the  moment  of  our  conversion,  he 
acts  irresistibly.  There  may  likewise  be  many  irre- 
sistible touches  in  the  course  of  our  Christian  war- 
fare. But  still,  as  St.  Paul  might  have  been  either 
obedient  or  disobedient  to  the  heavenly  vision,  so 
every  individual  may,  after  all  that  God  has  done, 
either  improve  his  grace,  or  make  it  of  none  effect.""!" 

Again  he  says,  "I  ana  persuaded  there  are  no  men 
living  that  have  not  many  times  resisted  the  Holy 
Ghost,  and  made  void  the  counsel  of  God  against 
themselves;  yea,  I  am  persuaded  every  child  of  God 
has  had  at  some  time,  life  and  death  set  before  him, 
eternal  life  and  eternal  death,  and  has  had  in  himself 
the  casting  vote."| 

And  yet,  he  says  again,  "I  do  not  deny  that  in 
some  souls  the  grace  of  God  is  so  far  irresistible,  that 
they  cannot  but  believe  and  be  finally  saved."§ 
Those  who  sail  without  helmsman,  chart  or  compass, 
are  liable  to  be  driven  by  contrary  winds  in  contrary 
directions. 

As  to  the  idea  that  "  there  are  no  men  living,  who 
have  not  made  void  the  counsel  of  God,"  we  need  only 
say  that  such  an  idea  is,  at  the  least,  anti-scriptural. 
Thus,  Psalm  xxxiii.  10,   "The  counsel  of  the  Lord 

*  Sermon  on  the  General  Spread  of  the  Gospel, 
t  Works,  Vol.  I,  page  236. 

j  Sermon  on  the  General  Spread  of  the  Gospel. 
I  Works,  Vol.  III.  page  289. 


EFFECTUAL   CALLING.  149 

standeth  for  ever."  Proverbs  xix.  21,  "  There  are 
many  devices  in  a  man's  heart,  nevertheless,  the 
counsel  of  the  Lord,  that  shall  stand." 

It  is  not  wonderful,  therefore,  that  when  Gamaliel 
addressed  the  Jews,  who  were  opposing  the  Apostles, 
he  should  say,  "  If  this  counsel,  or  this  work,  be  of 
men,  it  will  come  to  nought,  but  if  it  be  of  God,  ye 
cannot  overthrow  it."  Acts  v.  38,  39.  It  must  be 
admitted,  however,  that  Mr.  Wesley  would  have  ex- 
pressed a  different  opinion. 

Once  more.  Notwithstanding  Paul  tells  us,  "  The 
carnal  mind  is  enmity  against  God,"  &c.,  so  that 
"  they  that  are  in  the  flesh  cannot  please  him,"  Mr. 
Watson  and  the  General  Conference  teach,  as  we  have 
seen,  that  they  can. 

Dr.  Fisk  also,  speaking  of  "  the  necessary  prepara- 
tives" for  regeneration,  says,  all  we  "claim  is,  they 
are  what  God  approves  of,  and  are  the  necessary  con- 
ditions of  his  subsequent  work  of  renewing  the  heart."* 

Mr.  Wesley  "is  very  bold,"  however,  and  denies 
them  both — "  Holiness,"  he  says,  "  can  have  no 
existence  till  we  are  renewed  in  the  spirit  of  our 
mind.  It  cannot  exist  till  the  power  of  the  Highest 
overshadowing  us,  we  are  brought  from  darkness  to 
light,  from  the  power  of  Satan  unto  God  :  that  is,  till 
we  are  born  again;  which,  therefore,  is  absolutely 
necessary  to  holiness."! 

Again,  speaking  of  "  the  inbred  corruptions  of  the 
heart,"  he  asks,  "  What  fruit  can  grow  on  such 
branches  as  these?"  and  answers,  "Only  such  as  are 
bitter,  and  evil  continually."! 

Again  he  says,  "Knowest  thou  not  that  thou  canst 
do  nothing  but  sin  till  thou  art  reconciled  to  God? 

*  Calvinistic  Controversy,  No.  XV. 

•j-  Sermon  on  the  New  Birth. 

j  Sermon  on  The  Way  to  the  Kingdom. 

13* 


150  EFFECTUAL   CALLING. 

Wherefore  then  dost  thou  say,  I  must  do  this  and  that 
first,  and  then  I  shall  believe  ?  Nay,  but  first  believe. 
Believe  in  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  the  propitiation  for 
thy  sins.  Let  this  good  foundation  first  be  laid,  and 
then  thou  shalt  do  all  things  well."*  Now,  as  the 
views  of  Mr.  Wesley  are  Calvinistic  and  scriptural, 
they,  of  course,  must  have  the  proponderance,  and  set 
the  others  aside. 

Finally,  according  to  Mr.  Watson,  "The  prepara- 
tory process  which  leads  to  regeneration,  as  it  leads 
to  pardon,  commences  with  conviction  and  contrition, 
and  goes  on  to  a  repentant  turning  unto  the  Lord." 
"  The  order  of  the  divine  operation  in  individual  ex- 
perience, is,  conviction  of  sin,  helplessness  and  dan- 
ger, faith,  justification  and  regeneration. "f 

According  to  Dr.  Fisk,  it  is,  as  we  have  seen — 
"1.  Faith.  2.  Repentance  in  order  to  an  increase  of 
faith.  3.  The  giving  up  of  the  soul  to  Christ  as  the 
only  ground  of  hope.  4.  The  change  of  heart  by  the 
efficient  operations  of  the  Holy  Spirit." 

According  to  Dr.  A.  Clarke,  "  The  order  of  the 
great  work  of  salvation  is — 1.  Conviction  of  sin. 
2.  Conversion  from  sin.  3.  Faith  in  the  Lord  Jesus 
Christ.     4.  Justification,  or  pardon. "| 

Here  then,  are  three  widely  difi'erent  views  of  the 
same  subject,  by  three  standard  writers  in  the  Metho- 
dist Episcopal  Church,  each  endorsed  by  the  General 
Conference.  But  as  those  of  Messrs.  Watson  and 
Fisk  are  endorsed  and  published  only,  while  that  of 
Dr.  Clarke  is  selected  from  his  writings,  endorsed,  and 
published,  and  as  it  is  nearly  Calvinistic,  and  nearly 
scriptural,  it  ought  to  prevail. 

And  now  to  sum  up  the  whole,  the  Methodist  Epis- 
copal Church   teaches,  1.  The  Calvinistic  and  scrip- 

*  Sermon  on  the  Righteousness  of  Faith, 
f  Theological  Institutes,  Part  II.  Chap.  xxiv. 
X  Clarke's  Theology,  page  148. 


EFFECTUAL  CALLING.  151 

tural  efficacy  of  the  call  of  divine  grace.  2.  The 
hyper-Calvinistic  irresistibility  of  the  call.  3.  The 
Arminian,  or  as  we  should  rather  say,  the  Methodist 
conditionality  and  resistibility  of  the  call. 

The  same  Church  teaches  again — 1.  That  an  unre- 
generate  man  may  render  to  God  an  acceptable 
spiritual  service.  2.  That  he  cannot  render  such  a 
service. 

Finally,  it  teaches,  as  we  have  seen,  that  "the 
order  of  the  divine  operation  is,  1.  Conviction  of  sin. 
2.  Helplessness  and  danger.  3.  Faith.  4.  Justifica- 
tion and  regeneration." 

It    teaches    again,    that   the    order   is,    1.    Faith. 

2.  Repentance,    in   order    to   an   increase   of  faith. 

3.  The  giving  up  of  the  soul  to  Christ.  4.  Regene- 
ration by  the  Holy  Spirit. 

It  teaches  again,  that  the  order  is,  1.  Conviction  of 
sin.  2.  Conversion  from  sin.  3.  Faith  in  the  Lord 
Jesus  Christ.     4.  Justification  or  pardon. 

So  then,  although  we  have  endeavoured  to  inform 
the  reader  of  what  it  does  teach  on  the  subject  we 
have  had  before  us,  we  pretend  not  to  have  informed 
him  of  what  it  does  not  teach.  When,  therefore.  Dr. 
Fisk  and  the  General  Conference,  speaking  of  Calvin- 
ists,  say,  "  If  man  has  natural  power  to  choose  life,  he 
has  power  to  get  to  heaven  without  grace,"  but  that 
it  requires  something  more  to  enable  the  Arminian  to 
get  there,  it  must  be,  because  the  latter  takes  so  many 
wrong  roads.* 

*  The  following  is  their  language.  "Herein  we  differ  widely 
from  the  Calvinists.  They  tell  us,  man  has  natural  power  to  choose 
life.  If  so,  he  has  power  to  get  to  heaven  without  grace.  We  say, 
on  the  contrary,  that  man  is  utterly  unable  to  choose  the  way  to 
heaven,  or  to  pursue  it  when  chosen,  without  the  grace  of  God." 
Calvinistic  Controversy,  the  Sermon. 


152 


CHAPTER  XII. 

OBJECTIONS    TO    SOME    OF    THE    FOBEGOINQ    DOCTBINES. 

Having  noticed  briefly,  the  inconsistencies  of  Armi- 
nians  in  reference  to  the  divine  decrees,  the  foreknow- 
ledge of  God,  the  doctrine  of  election,  of  the  atone- 
ment, and  of  effectual  calling,  we  will  notice  next, 
the  objections  which  they  urge  against  some  of  the 
teachings  of  Calvinists  on  all  these  subjects.  Here, 
it  is  to  be  remembered  however,  that  they  themselves 
teach  all  these  doctrines,  as  decidedly  as  they  are 
taught  in  the  Presbyterian  Confession  of  Faith. 
When,  therefore,  they  object,  they  object  as  Armi- 
nians,  to  what  they  teach  as  Calvinists. 

Objection  1.  "Whatever  it  prove  beside,  no  Scrip- 
ture can  prove  predestination."*  Such  is  the  text; 
now  for  the  sermon. 

We  have  seen  already,  that  as  Calvinists,  the 
Methodist  Episcopal  Church  holds  to  the  doctrine  of 
personal  unconditional  election,  which  is,  as  we  have 
seen,  "to  holiness,"  to  repentance,  to  faith,  "to 
obedience,"  "to  approach  unto  God,"  "to  know  his 
will,"  "to  be  conformed  to  the  image  of  his  Son," 
"to  the  adoption  of  children,"  and  "to  salvation." 
But  that  as  Arminians,  they  maintain  that  election  is 
conditional,  and  does  not  take  place  till  after  the  sub- 
jects of  it  are  holy,  repent,  believe,  obey,  approach 
unto  God,  know  his  will,  are  conformed  to  the  image 
of  his  Son,  are  adopted  as  children,  and  saved  from 
sin. 

We  have  seen  also,  how  completely  their  Calvin- 
istic  teaching  is  sustained  by  the  word  of  God,  and 
how  they  attempt,  yet  fail  to  sustain  what  they  teach 

*  Doctrinal  Tracts,  page  172. 


"no  scriptuee  can  teach  predestination."  153 

as  Arminians.  Our  text  naturally  leads  to  some 
further  notice  of  what  they  say  on  the  latter  side  of 
the  question.  The  Rev.  Professor  Alcinous  Young, 
formerly  of  the  Pittsburgh  Conference,  commenting 
on  Psalm  Ixv.  4,  viz.  "Blessed  is  the  man  whom  thou 
choosest,  and  causest  to  approach  unto  thee,"  says, 
"  This  passage  proves  that  an  election  of  God  takes 
place  when  the  sinner  comes  to  him.  The  verb 
choosest^  is  in  the  present  tense,  and  represents  an 
action,  or  an  event  passing  at  that  time.  And  so  it  is 
with  the  verb  causest,  also  in  the  present  tense.  The 
sinner  then,  being  drawn  by  the  Holy  Spirit,  yields, 
or  submits  to  the  drawing,  comes  to  Christ,  and  is 
blessed  indeed.  Such  an  individual  may  be  said  with 
propriety  to  be  chosen  of  God."*  .This,  however, 
exactly  reverses  the  order  of  the  Scriptures.  David 
says,  "Blessed  is  the  man  whom  thou  choosest  and 
causest  to  approach  unto  thee."  But  Mr.  Young 
teaches  that  the  sinner  is  first  caused  to  approach, 
and  is  then  chosen.  The  reader  however  will  be  at 
no  loss  to  understand  this,  if  he  bears  in  mind  the 
text,  viz.  "No  Scripture  can  preach  predestina- 
tion." 

Again,  our  Saviour  says,  "All  that  the  Father 
giveth  me,  shall  come  to  me."  John  vi.  37.  Dr.  A. 
Clarke,  commenting  on  this  passage,  says,  "Those 
who  come  at  the  call  of  God,  he  is  represented  here 
as  giving  to  Christ." 

Here  again  the  reader  must  recall  the  text.  For 
while  Christ  says,  "All  that  the  Father  giveth  me, 
shall  come  to  me,"  Dr.  Clarke  says,  "All  that  come 
to  Christ,  the  Father  gives  him." 

The  Rev.  R.  Watson,  commenting  on  this  passage, 
says,  "The  phrase,  to  be  given  to  Christ  by  the 
Father,  had  a  special  application  to  those  pious  Jews 

*  Marriage  Dinner,  page  48. 


154  "no  scripture  can  teach  predestination." 

who  waited  for  redemption  at  Jerusalem ;  those  who 
read  and  believed  the  writings  of  Moses,  and  who 
were  thus  prepared  by  more  spiritual  views  than  the 
rest,  though  they  were  not  unmixed  with  obscurity, 

to  receive  Christ  as  the  Messiah 

Taught  by  the  Father,  led  hy  the  sincere  belief 
and  general  spiritual  understanding  of  the  Scrip- 
tures, as  to  the  Messiah,  when  Christ  appeared, 
they  were  drawn  and  given  to  him,  as  the  now 
visible  and  accredited  head,  teacher.  Lord  and 
Saviour  of  the  Church."*  To  this  interpretation 
however,  there  are  insuperable  objections.  For 
1.  When  Christ  says,  "All  that  the  Father  giveth 
me,  shall  come  to  me,"  he  evidently  alludes  to  the 
same  that  .he  does  when  addressing  the  Father,  he 
says,  "Thou  hast^iven  him  power  over  all  flesh,  that 
he  should  give  eternal  life  to  as  many  as  thou  hast 
given  hiin."f  But  although  Christ  himself  authorizes 
so  extensive  a  meaning,  the  Rev.  R.  Watson  and  the 
General  Conference,  limit  it  to  the  few  "  pious  Jews, 
who  waited  for  redemption  at  Jerusalem."  2.  While 
Christ  says,  "All  that  the  Father  giveth  me,  shall 
come  to  me,"  the  Rev.  R.  Watson  says,  "They  were 
drawn  and  given,"  thus  exactly  reversing  the  order 
as  laid  down  by  Christ.  But  farther,  we  are  here 
told  of  "pious  Jews,"  "taught  by  the  Father,  and 
led  by  the  sincere  belief,  and  general  spiritual  under- 
standing of  the  Scriptures  as  to  the  Messiah,  not  yet 
drawn  to  Christ.  Again  Paul  says,  Rom.  viii.  28,  29, 
"For  we  know  that  all  things  work  together  for 
good  to  them  that  love  God,  to  them  who  are  the 
called  according  to  his  purpose.  For  whom  he  did 
foreknow,  he  also  did  predestinate  to  be  conformed  to 
the  image  of  his  Son,  that  he  might  be  the  first-born 
among  many  brethren.     Moreover,  whom  he  did  pre- 

*  Thcol.  Inst.  Part  II.  Chap,  xxvii.  f  John  xyii.  2. 


'^NO  SCRIPTURE   CAN   TEACH  PREDESTINATION."    155 

destinate,  them  he  also  called,  and  whom  he  called, 
them  he  also  justified,  and  whom  he  justified,  them  he 
also  glorified." 

To  Calvinists,  this  passage  appears  to  teach  pre- 
destination in  a  very  unequivocal  manner.  It  is  not 
80,  however,  with  Arminians — let  us  see  how  it  passes 
through  their  various  crucibles.  We  will  begin  with 
Mr.  Wesley,  who  interprets  it  three  times,  in  as  many 
different  ways.  1.  He  says,  "the  first  point  is  the 
foreknowledge  of  God.  God  '  foreknew'  those  in  every 
nation  who  would  believe,  from  the  beginning  of  the 
world  to  the  consummation  of  all  things,"  &c. 

"But  to  proceed.  'Whom  he  did  foreknow,  them 
he  did  predestinate  to  be  conformed  to  the  image  of 
his  Son.'  This  is  the  second  step,  (to  speak  after  the 
manner  of  men :  for  in  fact  there  is  nothing  before  or 
after  in  God.)  In  other  words,  God  decrees  from 
everlasting  to  everlasting,  that  all  who  believe  in  the 
Son  of  his  love  shall  be  conformed  to  his  image,  shall 
be  saved  from  all  inward  and  outward  sin,  into  all  in- 
ward and  outward  holiness,"  &c. 

"'Whom  he  did  predestinate,  them  he  also  called.* 
This  is  the  third  step:  (still  remembering  that  we 
speak  after  the  manner  of  men.)  To  express  it  a 
little  more  largely : — According  to  his  fixed  decree, 
that  believers  should  be  saved,  those  whom  he  fore- 
knows as  such,  he  calls  both  outwardly  and  inwardly: 
outwardly  by  the  word  of  his  grace,  and  inwardly  by 
his  Spirit.  This  inward  application  of  his  word  to 
the  heart,  seems  to  be  what  some  term  efi"ectual  call- 
ing. And  it  implies  the  calling  them  children  of  God, 
the  accepting  them  in  the  beloved;  the  justifying 
them  '  freely  by  his  grace,  through  the  redemption 
that  is  in  Christ  Jesus.' 

'"Whom  he  called,  those  he  justified.'  This  is  the 
fourth  step He  executed  his  decree  '  con- 
forming them  to  the  image  of  his  Son,'  (or  as  we 


156  "no  scripture  can  teach  predestination." 

usually  speak)  sanctified  them.  It  remains  'whom 
he  justified,  those  he  glorified.'    This  is  the  last  step."* 

Here  then  we  are  taught — 1.  That  "  God  foreknew 
those  in  every  nation  who  would  believe."  2.  "Them 
he  did  predestinate  (that  they)  should  be  saved  from  all 
inward  and  outward  sin,  into  all  inward  and  outward 
holiness."  3.  "Those  whom  he  foreknows  as  such 
(viz.  as  believers)  he  calls  outwardly  by  the  word,  and 
inwardly  by  his  Spirit  .  .  children  of  God."  4.  "  Sanc- 
tifies them."  5.  "Gives  them  the  kingdom  which 
was  prepared  for  them  before  the  world  began." 

To  this  we  reply,  "  He  that  believeth  on  the  Son, 
hath  everlasting  lifd';"  "is  passed  from  death  unto 
life,"t  and  "shall  be  saved."J  All  true  believers  are, 
therefore,  according  to  the  word  of  God,  the  "  chil- 
dren of  God."  That  is,  they  have  been  called  "  out- 
wardly by  the  word,  and  inwardly  by  the  Spirit"  into 
that  privilege.  According  to  Mr.  Wesley,  however, 
all  that  the  word  and  Spirit  do  for  them,  is  to  call 
them  children  after  they  are  children.  And  this 
being  done  "  outwardly  and  inwardly,  is,"  he  tells  us, 
"what  some  term  effectual  calling." 

This  then,  is  one  interpretation ;  take  another,  in 
which  the  General  Conference  unite  with  him.  "  We 
know  that  all  things  work  together  for  good  to  them 
that  love  God,  (ver.  28,)  to  them  that  are  called  (by 
the  preaching  of  the  word)  according  to  his  purpose," 
or  decree  unalterably  fixed  from  eternity,  "he  that 
believeth  shall  be  saved,"  "for  whom  he  did  fore- 
know," as  believing,  "he  also  did  predestinate  to  be 
conformed  to  the  image  of  his  Son."  Moreover, 
whom  he  did  predestinate,  them  he  also  called  "  by  his 
word"  (so  that  terra  is  usually  taken  in  St.  Paul's 
epistles,)  "and  whom  he  called,  them  he  also  justi- 

*  Sermon  on  Predestination.  f  Jo^n  iii.  36;  v.  24. 

X  Mark  xvi.  16. 


NO   SCRIPTURE  CAN    TEACH  PREDESTINATION.       157 

fied,  (the  word  is  here  taken  in  its  widest  sense,  as  in- 
cluding sanctification  also,)  and  whom  he  justified 
them  he  also  glorified."*  Here,  the  interpretation  is 
much  more  difiicult  than  the  dream.  Under  the  guid- 
ance of  the  former  interpretation,  however,  we  suppose 
they  mean  that  those  who  love  God,  and  believe,  are 
effectually  called ;  outwardly  by  the  word,  and  in- 
wardly by  the  Spirit,  "children  of  God,"  and  "pre- 
destinated to  be  conformed  to  the  image  of  his  Son," 
&c.  According  to  the  Scriptures,  however,  such  per- 
sons are  conformed  to  that  image  now.  Col.  iii.  10. 
So  that  these  divines  have  them  predestinated  to  be 
conformed  to  what  they  are  conformed  to. 

Having  noticed  two  of  Mr.  Wesley's  interpretations, 
we  come  to  the  third.  Commenting  on  the  29th  verse, 
he  says,  "Here  the  Apostle  declares  who  those  are, 
whom  he  foreknows  and  predestinated  to  glory, 
namely,  those  who  are  conformable  to  the  image  of 
his  Son.  This  is  the  mark  of  those  who  are  fore- 
known and  will  be  glorified."t  Before,  we  had  all 
who  were  foreknown  as  believers,  predestinated  to 
holiness — outwardly  and  inwardly  called  "children  of 
God,"  &c.  Now,  however,  we  are  taught  that  some 
only  of  the  human  family  are  "conformable"  to  the 
divine  image,  and  that  as  these  are  foreknown  of  God, 
they  only  are  predestinated  to  be  conformed  to  that 
image,  &c.  In  other  words,  he  teaches  that  the  Al- 
mighty undertakes  such  only  as  he  knows  he  can 
manage — that  is,  the  easy  ones.  This,  it  is  true,  is 
somewhat  difi"erent  from  Mr.  Wesley,  when  he  admits 
"  there  are  exempt  cases  wherein  the  overwhelming 
power  of  divine  grace  does  for  a  time  work  as  irre- 
sistibly as  lightning" — and  that  "in  the  same  manner 
that  he  has  assisted  five  in  one  house  to  make  the 


*  Doctrinal  Tracts,  p.  28. 

f  Notes  on  the  New  Testament. 


14 


158       NO   SCRIPTURE   CAN   TEACH  PREDESTINATION. 

happy  choice,  fifty  or  five  hundred  in  one  city,  and 
many  thousands  in  a  nation,  without  destroying  their 
liberty,  he  can  undoubtedly  convert  whole  nations,  or 
the  whole  world,  it  being  as  easy  for  him  to  convert 
the  whole  world  as  one  individual  soul." 

Dr.  Fisk,  commenting  on  this  passage,  says  of  these 
individuals,  that  they  were  "  foreknown  as  possessing 
something  which  operated  as  a  reason  why  they  should 
be  elected  rather  than  others:  foreknown  doubtless 
as  believers  in  Christ,  and  as  such,  according  to  the 
plan  or  decree  of  God,  they  were  to  be  made  con- 
formable to  the  image  of  Christ's  holiness  here,  and 
glory  hereafter."* 

Here  it  is  admitted  that  the  conformity  to  the 
image  of  Christ,  to  which  some  are  predestinated, 
takes  place  in  the  present  life,  and  not  hereafter,  as 
Mr.  Wesley  teaches. 

The  Rev.  R.  Watson,  commenting  on  the  twenty- 
eighth  and  twenty-ninth  verses,  says,  "  The  gospel  re- 
veals it  that  those  who  love  God  shall  find  that  all 
things  shall  work  together  for  their  good,  because 
they  are  predestinated  to  be  conformed  to  the  image 
of  the  Son  of  God  in  his  glory.  Since  therefore, 
none  but  such  persons  were  so  foreknown,  and  so 
predestinated  to  be  heirs  of  glory,  the  gospel  calling 
was  issued  according  to  his  purpose  or  phm  of  bring- 
ing them  that  love  him  to  glory,  in  order  to  produce 
this  love  in  them."t 

While  then  Mr.  Wesley  teaches  that  God  selects 
such  only  as  he  foreknows  he  can  manage,  and  pre- 
destinates them  to  glory,  Mr.  Watson  teaches  that 
he  selects  those  who  love  him,  and  predestinates  them 
to  be  conformed  to  the  image  of  his  Son,  and  calls 
and  brings  them  to  glory  in  order  to  produce  this  love 
in  them. 

*  Calvinistic  Controversy — the  Sermon. 

f  Theological  Institutes,  Part  II.  Chap.  xsvi. 


NO   SCRIPTURE   CAN   TEACH  PREDESTINATION.       159 

The  onlj  peculiarity  about  these  interpretations  is, 
that  they  are  pre-eminently  unscriptural,  contradictory, 
and  absurd ;  and  that  they  agree  in  nothing  but  that 
*'no  Scripture  can  teach  predestination." 

Again,  God  says,  Rom.  ix.  15,  "  I  will  have  mercy 
on  whom  I  will  have  mercy,  and  I  will  have  compas- 
sion on  whom  I  will  have  compassion."  And  Paul 
adds,  "  So  then  it  is  not  of  him  that  willeth,  nor  of 
him  that  runneth,  but  of  God  that  showeth  mercy." 

Let  us  now  see  with  what  ease  Mr.  Wesley  helps 
God  and  Paul  into  rank  Arminianism. 

"  I  will  have  mercy  on  whom  I  will  have  mercy, 
namely,  on  him  who  believeth  in  Jesus.  'So  then, 
it  is  not  of  him  that  willeth,  or  of  him  that  runneth,' 
to  choose  the  conditions  on  which  he  shall  find  accept- 
ance."* ^ 

When  again,  Paul  asks,  Rom.  ix.  21,  "Hath  not 
the  potter  power  over  the  clay,  of  the  same  lump  to 
make  one  vessel  to  honour,  and  another  to  dishonour  ?" 
Mr.  Wesley  introduces  Arminianism  thus,  "  Ilath 
not  God  power  over  his  creatures  to  appoint  one  ves- 
sel, namely  the  believer,  to  honour,  and  another,  the 
unbeliever,  to  dishonour?"f 

According  to  Paul,  a  believer  is  an  honoured,  and 
an  unbeliever  a  dishonoured  vessel  now.  But  while 
Paul  has  the  potter  making  one  vessel  to  honour,  and 
another  to  dishonour,  out  of  the  same  lump  of  clay, 
Mr.  Wesley  has  him  appointing  a  vessel  already  hon- 
oured to  honour,  and  another  vessel  already  dishon- 
oured to  dishonour. 

On  this  passage,  so  easily  and  summarily  dispatch- 
ed by  Mr.  Wesley,  and  with  so  much  satisfaction  to 
himself,  Mr.  Watson  extends  his  comment  over  four 
closely  printed  octavo  pages.J     Yet  if  any  one  can 

*  Sermon  on  Justification  by  Faith. 

f  Notes  on  the  New  Testament. 

X  Theological  Institutes,  Part  II.  Chap.  xxvi. 


160       NO    SCRIPTURE   CAN   TEACH   PREDESTINATION. 

see  what  he  is  after,  or  what  he  brings  out  of  it,  save 
that  "no  Scripture  can  teach  predestination,"  he  is 
possessed  of  no  common  powers  of  discernment. 

Gibbon  says,  "  thd"  Church  of  Rome  has  canonized 
Augustin,  and  reprobated  Calvin.  Yet  as  the  real 
difference  between  them  is  invisible,  even  to  a  theolo- 
gical microscope,  the  Molinists  are  oppressed,  by  the 
authority  of  the  Saint,  and  the  Jansenists  are  dis- 
graced by  their  resemblance  to  the  heretic.  In  the 
meanwhile,  the  Protestant  Arminians  stand  aloof,  and 
deride  the  mutual  perplexity  of  the  disputants.  Per- 
haps a  reasoner  still  more  independent,  may  smile  in 
his  turn,  when  he  peruses  an  Arminian  Commentary 
on  the  Epistle  to  the  Romans."*  Gibbon  little  knew 
what  lights  would  rise  after  him. 

Once  more.  Paul  says,  Eph.  i.  3,5,  "Blessed  be 
the  God  and  Father  of  our  Lord  Jesus  -Christ,  who 
hath  blessed  us  with  all  spiritual  blessings  in  heavenly 
places  in  Christ:  according  as  he  hath  chosen  us  in 
him  before  the  foundation  of  the  world,  that  we  should 
be  holy,  and  without  blame  before  him  in  love,  having 
predestinated  us  unto  the  adoption  of  children  by  Jesus 
Christ  to  himself,  according  to  the  good  pleasure  of 
his  will." 

The  Rev.  R.  Watson  com,menting  on  this  passage, 
admits  that  the  Apostle  speaks  of  an  election  "as  the 
means  of  faith,  and  of  faith  as  the  end  of  election," 
but  he  contends,  that  he  does  not  speak  of  personal 
election,  but  of  "  the  collective  election  of  the  whole 
body  of  Christians."  The  Apostle,  he  says,  speaks 
of  the  election  of  believing  Jews  and  Gentiles  into  the 
Church  of  God,  in  other  words,  of  the  eternal  purpose 
of  God,  upon  the  publication  of  the  gospel,  to  consti- 
tute his  visible  Church  no  longer  upon  the  ground  of 
natural  descent  from  Abraham,  but  upon  the  founda- 
tion of  faith  in  Christ."f 

*  Decline  and  Fall  of  the  Roman  Empire,'  Chap,  xxiii. 
•f  Theological  Institutes,  Part  II.  Chap.  xxvi. 


NO  SCRIPTURE  CAN  TEACH  PREDESTINATION.         161 

To  this  we  reply,  that  the  Apostle  says  not  a  word 
about  "  constituting  his  visible  church."  He  speaks 
first  of  an  election  to  holiness,  or  of  our  being  "  chosen 
that  we  should  be  holy  and  without  blame  before  God, 
in  love."  But  as  holiness  and  love  are  strictly  per- 
sonal, an  election  to  holiness  and  love  can  be  nothing 
else  than  personal  election. 

Again,  this  is  an  election  "  to  the  adoption  of  chil- 
dren." But  believers,  as  individuals,  and  such  only, 
are  adopted  as  God's  children.  Therefore  the  election 
of  them  "unto  the  adoption  of  children,"  must  be 
personal,  and  must  take  place  before  they  are  chil- 
dren. Moreover,  the  Apostle  uses  the  personal  pro- 
noun, U8,  showing  that  he  meant  to  speak  of  persons 
only,  and  not  of  Jews  and  Gentiles  generally. 

Besides,  the  exposition  of  Mr.  Watson  is  contra- 
dictory; for  while  he  admits  that  it  is  an  election 
"  as  the  means  of  faith,  and  of  faith  as  the  end  of 
election,"  he  contends  that  it  is  an  election  "  of  be- 
lieving Jews  and  Gentiles,  into  the  Church  of  God." 
But  if  it  is  an  election  of  believers,  it  is  an  election  of 
those  who  have  faith;  and  if  so,  how  can  it  be  "an 
election  as  the  means  of  faith." 

In  the  volume  of  Methodist  Doctrinal  Tracts  we 
find  the  following,  on  pages  136,  137,  138,  viz. 

"  The  Scripture  saith,  Eph.  i.  4,  'God  hath  chosen 
us  in  Christ  before  the  foundation  of  the  world,  that 
we  should  be  holy,  and  without  blame  before  him  in 
love.'  And  St.  Peter  calls  the  saints,  1  Pet.  i.  2,  '  elect 
according  to  the  foreknowledge  of  God  the  Father, 
through  sanctification  of  the  Spirit  unto  obedience.' 
And  St,  Paul  saith  unto  them,  2  Thess.  ii.  13, 
14,  'God  hath  from  the  beginning  chosen  you 
to  salvation,  through  sanctification  of  the  Spirit, 
and  belief  of  the  truth;  whereunto  he  hath  call- 
ed you  by  our  gospel  to  the  obtaining  of  the  glory 
of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ.'  From  all  these  places 
14* 


162       NO   SCRIPTURE   CAN   TEACH  PREDESTINATION. 

of  Scripture  it  is  plain,  that  God  has  chosen  some 
to  life  and  glory,  before,  or  from  the  foundation  of 
the  world." 

So  Calvinists  think,  but  Arminians  hold  to  two 
sides  at  least  of  every  question.  And  so  they 
immediately  enter  upon  a  course  of  reasoning  from 
which  they  conclude — "It  is  plain,  they  were  not 
chosen  from  the  foundation  of  the  world."  Now 
surely,  if  one  of  these  is  plain,  the  other  is  not  plain, 
and  if  one  of  them  is  true,  the  other  is  not  true. 
Let  us  see:  To  make  out  their  case  they  say,  "God 
saith  to  Abraham,"  Rom.  iv.  17,  'As  it  is  written, 
I  have  made  thee  a  father  of  many  nations,  before 
him  whom  he  believed,  even  God,  who  quickeneth  the 
dead  and  calleth  things  that  are  not  as  though  they 
were.'  Observe,  God  speaks  then  at  that  present 
time  to  Abraham,  saying,  'I  have  made  thee  a 
father  of  many  nations!'  The  Apostle  tells  us 
plainly,  it  was  '  so  before  God,  who  calleth  things  that 
are  not,  as  though  they  were.'  And  so  he  calleth 
Abraham  the  father  of  many  nations,  though  he  was 
not  as  yet  the  father  even  of  Isaac,  in  whom  his  seed 
was  to  be  called.  God  useth  the  same  manner  when 
he  calleth  Christ,  the  Lamb  slain  from  the  foundation 
of  the  world.  Rev.  xiii.  8,  although  he  was  not  slain 
for  some  thousand  years  after.  Hence  therefore,  we 
may  easily  understand  what  he  speaks  of  electing  us 
from  the  foundation  of  the  world.  God  calleth 
Abraham  a  father  of  many  nations,  though  not  so  at 
that  time.  He  calleth  Christ  the  Lamb,  slain  from 
the  foundation  of  the  world,  though  not  slain  till  he 
was  a  man  in  the  flesh.  Even  so  he  calleth  men 
elected  from  the  foundation  of  the  world,  though  not 
elected  till  they  were  men  in  the  flesh.  Yet  it  is  all 
so,  before  God,  who  knowing  all  things  from  eternity, 
calleth  things  that  are  not  as  though  they  were.  By 
all  which  it  is  plain,  that  as   Christ  was  called  the 


NO   SCRIPTURE  CAN   TEACH   PREDESTINATION.        163 

Lamb  slain  from  the  foundation  of  the  world,  and 
yet  not  slain  till  some  thousand  years  after,  till  the 
day  of  his  death :  so  also  men  are  called  elect  from 
the  foundation  of  the  world,  and  yet  not  elected  per- 
haps till  some  thousand  years  after,  till  the  day  of 
their  conversion  to  God,"  &c.  And  thus  they  come 
to  the  conclusion,  "It  is  plain  then,  neither  were 
they  chosen  before  the  foundation  of  the  world." 
That  is,  a  flat  contradiction  of  a  previous  conclusion, 
viz.  that  they  were  chosen. 

It  is  admitted,  however,  that  it  was  known  they 
would  be  chosen.  A.  proposes  to  give  to  each  of  his 
sons,  B.  and  C,  a  farm,  when  they  reach  the  age  of 
twenty  one,  giving  to  B.,  the  choice.  B.  replies,  "I 
know  very  well  which  I  will  choose."  Can  any  one 
separate  the  knowledge  of  B.  from  his  choice,  or  tell 
how  he  could  know  which  farm  he  would  choose,  un- 
less he  had  chosen  it?  It  will  not  be  denied  that  at 
the  time  spoken  of,  Abraham  was  designated  to  what 
others  were  not;  that  at  the  time  spoken  of,  Christ 
was  designated  to  what  others  were  not,  just  as  Cyrus 
was  named  and  designated  to  rebuild  the  temple,  long 
before  he  was  born;  and  that  at  the  time  spoken  of, 
the  elect  were  designated  to  what  others  were  not. 
Away  then  with  a  mere  play  upon  words,  where  the 
meaning  is  plain. 

When,  therefore,  Mr.  Wesley  and  the  General  Con- 
ference say,  "no  Scripture  can  teach  predestination," 
they  ought  to  have  added,  "Namely,  after  it  has 
passed  through  the  Arminian  crucible." 

But  why  is  not  the  same  liberality  of  interpretation 
extended  to  the  Confession  of  Faith  also?  It  would 
steer  wide  of  predestination  either  there,  or  in  Calvin's 
Institutes,  or  in  any  Calvinistic  authority  that  was  ever 
written,  and  thus  end  the  Calvinistic  controversy. 
An  intimate  friend  of  ours  was  once  conversing  with 
an  Arminian  about  some  of  the  doctrines  contained 


164  INFANT   DAMNATION. 

in  the  Confession  of  Faith.  The  latter  remarked,  that 
there  were  doctrines  in  that  book  he  could  not  receive. 
Well,  said  our  friend,  suppose  I  read  some  out  of  it. 
Accordingly,  he  commenced  reading ;  but  although, 
after  a  few  sentences,  he  read  nothing  but  the  pas- 
sages of  Scripture  given,  in  proof  of  the  Confession, 
the  Arminian  said  he  "could  not  believe  them." 

Having  noticed  one  objection  to  the  doctrine  of 
predestination,  we  proceed  to  a  second,  viz,  "It  leads 
to  the  idea  of  infant  damnation;"*  "brings  with  it 
the  repulsive  and  shocking  opinion  of  the  eternal 
punishment  of  infants ;"f  "causes  not  only  children 
not  a  span  long,  but  the  parents  also,  to  pass  through 
the  fires  of  hell."| 

The  above  are  samples  of  the  manner  in  which  this 
charge  is  reiterated  by  every  controversial  Arminian 
author  that  has  come  under  our  notice.  The  reader 
will  be  surprised  to  learn  that  the  "shocking  and  re- 
pulsive doctrine"  here  objected  to,  is  taught  by  Ar- 
minians,  but  not  by  Calvinists,  and  in  the  Methodist, 
but  not  in  the  Presbyterian  Church. 

In  "the  Doctrines  and  Discipline  of  the  Methodist 
Episcopal  Church,"  the  prayer  before  administering 
the  ordinance  of  infant  baptism,  closes  as  follows,  viz. 
"Regard,  we  beseech  thee,  the  supplications  of  thy 
congregation;  sanctify  this  water  for  this  holy  sacra- 
ment, and  grant  that  this  child  now  to  be  baptized 
may  receive  the  fulness  of  thy  grace,  and  ever  remain 
in  the  number  of  thy  faithful  land  elect  children, 
through  Jesus  Christ  our  Lord." 

"  May  ever  remain  in  the  number  of  thy  faithful 
and  elect  children."  We  have  already  seen,  that  ac- 
cording to  Arminians,  converted  persons,  and  they 
only,  are  "chosen  to  salvation."     And  that  they  are 

*  CalTinistic  Controversy,  the  Sermon. 

f  Theological  Institutes,  Part  II.  Chap.  xxvi. 

X  Doctrinal  Tracts,  page  173. 


INFANT  DAMNATION.  165 

not  "chosen"  till  after  their  conversion.  The  prayer 
then  "that  the  child  to  be  baptized  may  receive  the 
fulness  of  grace  and  ever  remain  in  the  number  of  thy 
faithful  and  elect  children,"  supposes  that  by  baptism 
it  is  brought  into  that  number,  or  in  other  words,  is 
regenerated.  That  this  is  its  meaning,  appears  from 
the  fact  that  such  was  the  sentiment  of  Mr.  Wesley, 
who  composed  the  prayer. 

In  his  sermon  on  "The  Marks  of  the  New  Birth," 
addressing  his  hearers,  he  asks,  "Who  denies  that  ye 
were  then  (in  baptism,)  made  children  of  God,  and 
heirs  of  the  kingdom  of  heaven." 

In  his  sermon  on  "The  New  Birth,"  he  says,  "It 
is  certain  our  Church  supposes  that  all  who  are  baptized 
in  their  infancy,  are  at  the  same  time  born  again." 

In  his  "Treatise  on  Baptism,"  (which  is  now  one 
of  the  "Doctrinal  Tracts"  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal 
Church,)  speaking  of  "the  benefits  we  receive  by 
baptism,"  he  says,  "The  first  of  these  is  the  washing 
away  the  guilt  of  original  sin,  by  the  application  of 
the  merits  of  Christ's  death,"  &c.  2.  "  By  baptism  we 
enter  into  covenant  with  God,"  &c.  3.  "  By  baptism 
we  are  admitted  into  the  Church,  and  consequently 
made  members  of  Christ,  its  head,"  &c.  4.  "By 
baptism,  we  who  were  '  by  nature  children  of  wrath,' 
are  made  the  children  of  God.  And  this  regeneration, 
which  our  Church,  in  so  many  places  ascribes  to  bap- 
tism, is  more  than  barely  being  admitted  into  the 
Church,  though  commonly  connected  therewith;  being 
grafted  into  the  body  of  Christ's  Church,  we  are  made 
the  children  of  God  by  adoption  and  grace.  This  is 
grounded  on  the  plain  words  of  our  Lord,  'Except  a 
man  be  born  again,  of  water  and  the  Spirit,  he  cannot 
enter  into  the  kingdom  of  God.'  John  iii.  5.  By 
water  then,  as  a  means,  the  water  of  baptism,  we  are 
regenerated,  or  born  again;  whence  it  is  called  also  by 
the   apostle,    'the    washing   of  regeneration.'      Our 


19$  INFANT   DAMNATION. 

Church,  therefore,  ascribes  no  greater  virtue  to  bap- 
tism than  Christ  himself  has  done;  nor  does  she  as- 
cribe it  to  the  outward  washing,  but  to  the  inward 
grace,  which  added  thereto  makes  it  a  sacrament. 
Herein  a  principle  of  grace  is  infused,  which  will  not 
be  wholly  taken  away,  unless  we  quench  the  Holy 
Spirit  of  God  by  long  continued  wickedness." 

Again,  he  says,  "  In  the  ordinary  way,  there  is  no 
other  means  of  entering  into  the  Church  or  into  hea- 
ven" (than  by  baptism.)  "In  all  ages,  the  outward 
baptism  is  a  means  of  the  inward;  as  outward  circum- 
cision was  of  the  circumcision  of  the  heart."* 

The  meaning  of  the  prayer  quoted,  is  thus  placed 
beyond  a  doubt ;  and  the  doctrine  of  the  Methodist 
Episcopal  Church  on  this  subject,  according  to  their 
own  standards,  is,  that  those  who  are  baptized  in  in- 
fancy are  regenerated,  elected  to  salvation,  and  dying 
in  infancy  are  saved.  Of  course  then,  those  who  are 
not  baptized,  are  not  regenerated,  or  elected  to  sal- 
vation, and  dying  in  infancy  are  lost ;  and  so  say  the 
Doctrinal  Tracts,  page  251,  "  If  infants  are  guilty  of 
original  sin,  then  they  are  proper  subjects  of  baptism ; 
seeing,  in  the  ordinary  way,  they  cannot  be  saved, 
unless  this  be  washed  away  by  baptism." 

By  way  of  apology  for  Mr.  Wesley,  it  is  stated,  in 
a  note  to  the  second  head  of  his  Treatise  on  Baptism, 
that  "  as  a  clergyman  of  the  Church  of  England,  he 
was  originally  a  High-churchman  in  the  fullest  sense." 
That  "  when  he  wrote  this  in  the  year  1756,  he  seems 
still  to  have  used  some  expressions,  in  relation  to  the 
doctrine  of  baptismal  regeneration,  which  we  at  this 
day  should  not  prefer.''  That  "some  such,  in  the 
judgment  of  the  reader,  may  be  found  under  this 
second  head."f 

*  Doctrinal  Tracts,  pp.  246—250.  f  Ibid.  p.  249. 


INFANT   DAMNATION.  167 

To  this  we  reply, 

1.  That  Mr.  Wesley  was  no  more  of  a  High-church- 
man when  he  wrote  the  "  Treatise  on  Baptism,"  than 
when  he  wrote  the  prayer  at  baptism,  for  the  quota- 
tions from  the  former  are  nothing  more  than  an  ex- 
planation of  the  latter.  But  then,  the  Methodist 
Episcopal  Church  have  adopted  the  prayer  and  the 
treatise  also. 

2.  Although  there  is  an  explanatory  note  for  what 
is  contained  in  the  second  head,  there  is  no  such  note 
for  what  is  contained  under  the  third.  As  then,  they 
teach  under  that  head,  infant  reprobation,  and  in  the 
same  volume  of  Tracts,  pages  11,  12,  16,  say  that 
"unconditional  election  necessarily  implies  uncondi- 
tional reprobation,"  according  to  themselves  they 
must  hold  to  the  former,  for  they  hold  to  the  latter, 
which  they  say  "cannot  be  separated  from  it."  That 
is,  they  hold  that  unbaptized  infants  are  reprobated 
to  damnation. 

3.  If  Mr.  Wesley  was  a  High-churchman  when  he 
wrote  that  Treatise,  he  was  a  High-churchman  all  his 
days,  for  it  is  found  unaltered  and  without  note,  in  the 
latest  edition  of  his  works,  revised  and  corrected  by 
himself. 

4.  If  Mr.  Wesley  was  a  High-churchman  when  he 
wrote  the  Treatise,  the  Methodist  Episcopal  Church 
is  High-church  also,  for  they  have  transferred  it  to 
their  volume  of  "Doctrinal  Tracts,"  and  thus  adopt- 
ed it. 

I  know  it  has  been  stated,  that  this  Treatise  was 
slipped  into  that  volume  by  some  unknown  hand,  and 
without  being  noticed,  has  been  suffered  to  continue 
there. 

To  this  we  reply, 

1.  It  seems  extremely  improbable,  that  in  so  large 
a  body  as  the  Methodist  Church,  it  should  escape  no- 


168  INFANT  DAMNATION. 

tice  for  more  than  eighteen  years,  if  it  was  there  by 
stealth. 

2.  It  is  published  in  a  stereotyped  edition,  and  its 
contents  named  in  the  latest  catalogue  of  the  Book 
Concern.  It  does  not  seem  fair,  therefore,  to  set  aside 
by  such  suggestions,  the  following  statement  on  the 
title  page,  viz.  "  A  collection  of  interesting  Tracts, 
explaining  several  important  points  of  Scripture  doc- 
trine, published  by  order  of  the  General  Conference, 
by  G.  Lane  and  C.  B.  Tippet,  for  the  Methodist  Epis- 
copal Church,  1850."  Also,  the  following  from  the 
advertisement,  viz.  "  Several  new  Tracts  are  included 
in  this  volume,  and  Mr.  Wesley's  Short  Treatise  on 
Baptism,  is  substituted  in  the  place  of  the  extract 
from  Mr.  Edwards  on  that  subject." 

The  eternal  damnation  of  by  far  the  greater  part 
of  those  who  die  in  infancy,  is  therefore  a  doctrine 
clearly  contained  in  the  "Book  of  Discipline  and  Ar- 
ticles of  Religion,"  and  in  the  "Doctrinal  Tracts"  of 
the  Methodist  Episcopal  Church. 

Having  shown  that  infant  damnation  is  a  doctrine 
of  Arminians,  we  will  show  next,  that  it  is  not  a  doc- 
trine of  Calvinists.  And  here  we  may  remark,  that 
the  Westminster  Assembly  of  divines  were  careful  not 
to  make  that  a  part  of  their  written  Creed  about 
which  the  Scriptures  are  silent;  hence  they  set  down 
nothing  as  a  part  of  their  Confession  of  Faith,  for 
which  they  did  not  believe  they  had  a  "thus  saith  the 
Lord."  Finding  the  Scriptures  silent  in  relation  to 
the  salvation  of  many  who  die  in  infancy,  they  are 
silent  also.  But  finding  the  Scriptures  clear,  in  re- 
ference to  the  salvation  of  some  who  die  in  infancy, 
they  express  themselves  accordingly.  The  Calvinistic 
writer  cannot  be  found,  who  teaches  the  perdition  of 
anj  one  who  dies  in  infancy. 

The  only  authority  in  the  Presbyterian  Church  on 
which  the  charge  is  based,  is  a  passage  in  the  tenth 


INFANT   DAMNATION.  169 

chapter  of  the  Confession  of  Faith.  It  is  designed 
to  explain  the  subject  of  "effectual  calling;"  and  as 
infants  cannot  be  called  by  the  external  ministration 
of  the  word,  the  question  naturally  arises,  In  what 
manner  consistent  with  God's  method  of  mercy,  can 
infants  be  saved?  This  is  answered.  Section  8d,  as 
follows:  "Elect  infants,  dying  in  infancy,  are  regene- 
rated and  saved  by  Christ,  through  the  Spirit,  who 
worketh  when,  where,  and  how  he  pleaseth." 

From  this  passage  our  opponents  argue  thus:  If 
some  who  die  in  infancy  are  elect,  others  dying  in 
infancy  are  reprobate,  or  non  elect.  So  according  to 
these  good  brethren,  when  John,  in  his  Second 
Epistle,  addressing  "the  elect  lady,"  speaks  of  "her 
elect  sister,"  it  follows  that  she  must  have  had  a 
reprobate  sister  also !  It  need  scarcely  be  said  that 
the  word  electa  when  used  in  Scripture  with  reference 
to  salvation,  does  not  signify,  chosen  out  of  a  class 
or  age,  but  out  of  the  general  mass  of  mankind, 
Thus,  the  "elect  sister"  mentioned,  was  not  chosen 
with  reference  to  a  particular  family,  but  out  of  the 
fallen  race  of  Adam.  In  this  scriptural  sense,  the 
term  is  uniformly  employed  in  the  Presbyterian  Con- 
fession. When  infants  are  styled  elect,  its  obvious 
meaning  is  that  they  are  elected  out  of  the  mass  of 
human  beings,  and  this  is  in  perfect  accordance  with 
the  opinion  of  Presbyterians,  that  "all  who  die  in 
infancy,  are  elect  unto  salvation."* 

But  says  Mr.  Watson,  "That  some  of  those  who 
as  they  suppose,  are  under  this  sentence  of  reproba- 
tion, die  in  their  infancy,  is  probably,  what  most  Cal- 
vinists  allow,  and  if  their  doctrine  be  received,  cannot 
be  denied;  and  it  follows  therefore,  that  all  such 
infants  are  eternally  lost."t 

*  Fairchild's  Unpopular  Doctrines  of  the  Bible,  pp.  86,  87. 
■\  Theological  Institutes,  Part  II.  Chap.  xxvi. 

15 


170  INFANT   DAMNATION. 

"Is  probably,  what  most  Calvinists  allow!"  I 
answer,  "Calvinists  allow"  no  such  thing. 

A  few  sentences  previous  to  the  above,  the  same 
writer  says,  "some  Calvinists  have,  to  get  rid  of  the 
difficulty,  consigned  them  to  annihilation." 

Now  if  Mr.  Watson,  or  any  of  his  brethren,  will 
tell  who  those  Calvinists  are,  and  sustain  the  asser- 
tion by  quotations  from  their  writings,  they  will  add 
to  the  knowledge  of  Christendom.  Till  then,  this 
may  be  set  down,  as  one  of  the  innumerable  Arminian 
slanders,  of  which  we  will  speak  hereafter. 

The  system  of  John  Calvin,  more  than  of  any  other 
Reformer,  made  special  provision  for  the  salvation  of 
those  dying  in  infancy,  whether  baptized  or  not. 
Previous  to  the  Reformation,  infant  baptism  was 
almost  universal.  From  within  one  or  two  hundred 
years  of  the  Apostles,  those  who  maintained  infant 
baptism,  maintained  baptismal  regeneration,  also. 
Hence  they  taught  that  the  unbaptized  could  not  be 
saved.  This  is  the  doctrine  of  Roman  Catholics, 
High-church  Episcopalians,  and  of  the  Methodist 
Church  now;  hence  they  baptize  the  children  of  all 
who  apply  for  it,  whether  believers  or  unbelievers. 
John  Calvin  was  the  first  after  the  Apostolic  day  to 
dispel  the  darkness.  His  followers  have  walked  in 
his  footsteps,  and  in  accordance  with  the  word  of 
God,  they  baptize  the  children  of  professed  believers 
only. 

Calvin,  in  his  Institutes,  Book  IV.,  Chap.  xvi. 
Sec.  31,  represents  an  opponent  as  arguing  "that  all 
who  do  not  believe  on  Christ,  remain  in  spiritual 
death,  and  that  the  wrath  of  God,  abideth  on  them, 
John  iii.  36 ;  that  infants  therefore,  who  are  incapable 
of  believing,  must  remain  in  their  own  condemna- 
tion." To  this,  says  Calvin,  "I  answer,  that  Christ 
is  not  speaking  of  the  general  guilt  in  which  all  the 
descendants  of  Adam  are  involved,  but  only  threaten- 


IRRESISTrBLE   GRACE.  171 

ing  the  despisers  of  the  gospel,  who  proudly  and 
obstinately  reject  the  grace  that  is  offered  them,  and 
this  has  nothing  to  do  with  infants.  I  likewise 
oppose  a  contrary  argument.  All  those  whom  Christ 
blesses  are  exempt  from  the  curse  of  Adam  and  the 
wrath  of  God.  And  as  it  is  known  that  infants  were 
blessed  of  him,  it  follows  that  they  are  exempted 
from  death." — See  also,  Book  IV.,  Chap.  xvi.  Sec.  17, 
and  Chap.  xv.  Sec.  20,  22. 

So  then  after  all,  it  is  Arminianism,  and  not  Cal- 
vinism, that  "  leads  to  the  idea  of  infant  damnation," 
"  brings  with  it  the  repulsive  and  shocking  opinion  of 
the  eternal  punishment  of  (all)  infants,"  except  the 
few  that  are  baptized,  and  "causes  not  only  children 
of  a  span  long,  but  the  parents  also  to  pass  through 
the  fire  of  hell."  Calvinism  teaches  that  all  infants 
dying  in  infancy,  were  "  chosen  to  salvation,  regen- 
erated, and  saved  by  Christ."  While  Arminianism 
teaches  that  only  the  few  who  are  baptized  are  elected 
to  salvation,  and  dying  in  infancy  go  to  heaven.  "  To 
state  this  doctrine  in  its  true  character  is  enough  to 
chill  one's  blood."* 

This  gross,  oft  repeated,  and  long  continued  slander 
of  Calvinists  ought  to  be  publicly  withdrawn. 

A  third  objection  to  predestination  is,  that  it  neces- 
sarily involves  the  doctrine  of  irresistible  grace. 

Thus  says  Mr.  Wesley,  "  By  the  assistance  of  God 
I  shall  take  your  whole  system  together,  viz.  irresisti- 
ble grace  for  the  elect,"  &c.t 

Mr.  Watson  says,  "  An  unguarded  opinion,  as  to 
the  irresistibility  of  grace,  and  the  passiveness  of  man 
in  conversion,  has  also  been  assumed,  and  made  to 
give  air  of  plausibility  to  the  predestination  scheme." 
Again,  he  says,   "  These   premises  also    secure  the 

*  Calvinistic  Controversy,  page  47. 
f  Doctrinal  Tracts,  page  60. 


172.  IRRESISTIBLE   GRACE. 

glory  of  our  salvation  to  the  grace  of  God ;  but  not  by 
implying  the  Calvinistic  notion  of  the  continued  and 
uninterrupted  irresistibility  of  the  influence  of  grace, 
and  the  passiveness  of  man,  so  as  to  deprive  him  of 
his  agency."* 

Dr.  Fisk  says,  "  The  doctrine  of  unconditional  elec- 
tion necessarily  implies  irresistible  grace,  absolutely 
impelling  and  controlling  the  ■will."t 

Does  the  reader  remember  the  teaching  of  these 
divines  ?  viz.  "that  there  are  exempt  cases  wherein  the 
overwhelming  power  of  divine  grace  does  for  a  time 
work  as  irresistibly  as  lightning,"  "that  men  are 
sometimes  suddenly  and  irresistibly  awakened  to  a 
sense  of  their  guilt  and  danger  independent  of  any 
external  means ;"  "  that  the  grace  which  bringeth  faith, 
and  thereby  salvation  into  the  soul,  is  irresistible  at 
that  moment;"  and  that  "in  some  souls  the  grace  of 
God  is  so  far  irresistible,  that  they  cannot  but  believe, 
and  be  finally  saved?"  And  yet  these  are  the  men 
who  object  to  predestination,  because,  as  they  say,  it 
*' necessarily  implies  irresistible  grace." 

I  will  next  show,  that  according  to  their  teaching, 
that  doctrine  does  not  imply  such  grace. 

"  Of  a  divine  election  or  choosing  and  separation 
from  others,"  says  Mr.  Watson,  "  we  have  three  kinds 
mentioned  in  the  Scriptures. 

"  The  first  is  the  election  of  individuals  to  perform 
some  particular  and  special  service;  Cyrus  was  elected 
to  rebuild  the  Temple ;  the  twelve  Apostles  were 
elected  to  their  office  by  Christ;  St.  Paul  was  a  chosen 
or  elected  vessel,  to  be  the  Apostle  of  the  Gentiles. 

"  The  second  kind  of  election  which  we  find  in 
Scripture,  is  the  election  of  nations,  or  bodies  of  peo- 
ple, to  eminent  religious  privileges,  in  order  to  accom- 

*  Theological  Institutes,  Part  II.  Chap,  xxvii. 
f  Calvinistic  Controversy,  the  Sermon, 


'       IRRESISTIBLE   GRACE.  173 

plish  by  their  superior  illumination,  the  merciful  pur- 
poses of  God,  in  benefiting  other  nations,  or  bodies  of 
people.  Thus  the  descendants  of  Abraham,  the  Jews, 
were  chosen  to  receive  special  revelations  of  truth ; 
and  to  be  the  people  of  God ;  to  be  his  visible  Church, 
and  publicly  to  observe  and  uphold  his  worship. 

"  The  third  kind  of  election  is  personal  election  ;  or 
the  election  of  individuals,  to  be  the  children  of  God, 
and  the  heirs  of  eternal  life."* 

Mr.  Wesley  says,  "I  believe  that  God,  before  the 
foundation  of  the  world,  did  unconditionally  elect  cer- 
tain persons  to  do  certain  works;  as  Paul  to  preach 
the  gospel ;  that  he  has  unconditionally  elected  some 
nations  to  receive  peculiar  privileges,  as  the  Jewish  na- 
tion in  particular:  that  he  has  unconditionally  elected 
some  nations  to  hear  the  gospel,  as  England  and 
Scotland  now,  and  many  others  in  past  ages:  that  he 
has  unconditionally  elected  some  persons  to  many 
peculiar  advantages,  both  with  regard  to  temporal 
and  spiritual  things  :  and  I  do  not  deny,  though  I  can- 
not prove  it  so,  that  he  has  unconditionally  elected 
some  persons  to  eternal  glory."t 

The  first  kind  of  election  here  mentioned,  is  that 
"  of  individuals  to  perform  some  particular  service  ;" 
thus  "  before  the  foundation  of  the  world,  Paul  was 
unconditionally  elected  to  preach  the  gospel."  Did 
this  unconditional  election  of  Paul  destroy  his  free 
agency  ?  Let  us  first  hear  Paul  himself.  On  his  way 
to  Damascus  as  a  bitter  persecutor,  he  received  a  mi- 
raculous call  to  the  ministry.  Referring  to  this,  he 
says,  Acts  xxvi.  19,  "  I  was  not  disobedient  unto  the 
heavenly  vision."  Again  he  says,  1  Cor.  ix.  17,  "If 
I  do  this  thing  willingly,  I  have  a  reward  ;"  evidently 
implying  (as  his  whole  life  proved,)  that  he  laboured 

*  Theological  Institutes,  Part  II.  Chap.  xxvi. 
f  Wesley's  Works,  Vol.  III.  page  289. 

15* 


174  IRRESISTIBLE   GRACE. 

most  willingly,  and  in  the  full  exercise  of  his  free 
agency. 

Let  us  next  hear  Mr.  Watson.  "  In  the  instance 
of  the  mightiest  visitation  we  can  produce  from  Scrip- 
ture, that  of  St,  Paul,  we  see  where  the  irresistible 
influence  terminated,  and  where  his  own  agency  com- 
menced. Under  the  conviction  struck  into  his  mind, 
as  well  as  under  the  dazzling  brightness  which  fell 
upon  his  eyes,  he  was  passive,  and  the  effect  produced 
for  the  time  necessarily  followed,  but  all  the  actions 
consequent  upon  this  were  the  result  of  deliberation 
and  personal  choice."* 

Finally,  let  us  hear  Mr.  Wesley:  "Paul  might  have 
been  either  obedient  or  disobedient  to  the  heavenly 
vision,  "t 

If  then  "  the  unconditional  election  of  Paul  to 
preach  the  gospel  did  not  imply  irresistible  grace,  ab- 
solutely so  impelling  and  controlling  the  will"  that  he 
could  not  have  omitted  to  do  what  he  was  elected  to 
do,  neither  was  such  grace  implied  in  the  uncondi- 
tional "election  of  Cyrus  to  rebuild  the  Temple,"  nor 
in  the  "unconditional  election  of  some  nations  to  pe- 
culiar privileges,  nor  in  the  unconditional  election  of 
some  nations  to  hear  the  gospel,"  nor  in  the  uncon- 
ditional election  of  "some  persons  to  eternal  life." 

That  unconditional  election,  does  imply  eflScacious 
grace,  is  what  Calvinists  believe  and  teach,  but  that 
it  implies  irresistible  grace,  is  taught  by  Methodists 
only. 

We  have  already  shown  that  according  to  the  Con- 
fession of  Faith,  the  decrees  of  God  do.  not  destroy, 
but  establish  the  free  agency  of  man — that  God  has 
decreed  that  man  shall  be  free,  and  that  he  cannot  be 
otherwise  than  free.     If  then  there  is  any  point  in 

*  Theological  Institutes,  Part  II.  Chap,  xxviii. 
t  Wesley's  Works,  Vol.  III.  page  289. 


IRRESISTIBLE   GRACE.  175 

Calvinism  where  the  grace  of  God  is  irresistible,  it  must 
be  in  effectual  calling.  In  reference  to  this  the 
Confession  of  Faith  says,  Chap.  X.  Sec.  1,  "All 
those  whom  God  hath  predestinated  unto  life,  and 
those  only,  he  is  pleased,  in  his  appointed  and  ac- 
cepted time,  effectually  to  call  by  his  Word  and  Spirit 
out  of  the  state  of  sin  and  death,  in  which  they  are  by 
nature,  to  grace  and  salvation,  by  Jesus  Christ;  en- 
lightening their  minds,  spiritually,  and  savingly  to 
understand  the  things  of  God,  taking  away  their  heart 
of  stone,  and  giving  unto  them  an  heart  of  flesh ;  re- 
newing their  wills,  and  by  his  Almighty  power  deter- 
mining them  to  that  which  is  good;  and  effectually 
drawing  them  to  Jesus  Christ ;  yet  so  as  they  come 
most  freely,  being  made  willing  by  his  grace." 

There  is  nothing  in  the  Confession  of  Faith  on  the 
subject  of  effectual  calling  stronger  than  this.  The 
teaching  in  the  Larger  and  Shorter  Catechism  is  the 
same.  I  will  now  show  that  the  Confession  of  Faith 
is  strictly  in  accordance  with  the  Scriptures. 

1.  The  divine  call  is  said  to  be  made  effectual  "by 
enlightening  their  minds,  spiritually  and  savingly,  to 
understand  the  things  of  God." 

Accordingly  when  our  Saviour  met  the  persecuting 
Saul  on  his  way  to  Damascus,  (Acts  xxvi.  16,)  he  ad- 
dressed him  thus,  "  I  have  appeared  unto  thee,  to 
make  thee  a  minister  to  the  gentiles,  to  open  their 
eyes,  to  turn  them  from  darkness  unto  light,  and  from 
the  power  of  Satan  unto  God." 

Whenever,  therefore,  any  of  the  fallen  race  of  man 
are  turned  "from  darkness  to  light,  and  from  the 
power  of  Satan  unto  God,"  their  eyes  have  been 
opened ;  that  is,  they  received  a  spiritual  illumination. 
Or,  as  our  Saviour  expresses  it,  John  vi.  45,  "They 
have  been  taught  of  God."  And  he  further  assures 
us  that  "every  one  who  has  been  so  taught,  cometh 
unto  him." 


176  IRRESISTIBLE  "ORACE. 

2.  The  divine  call  is  rendered  effectual  "  by  taking 
away  their  hearts  of  stone  and  giving  them  a  heart  of 
flesh." 

Thus  the  Apostle  John,  speaking  of  the  regenerate, 
Bays,  they  "  were  born  not  of  blood,  nor  of  the  will  of 
the  flesh,  nor  of  the  will  of  man,  but  of  God."  John  i. 
13.  And  God  by  Ezekiel  says,  "  I  will  take  away  the 
Btony  heart  out  of  your  flesh,  and  will  give  you  a 
heart  of  flesh."  Ezek.  xxxvi.  26. 

3.  "By  renewing  their  wills;  and  by  his  mighty 
power  determining  them  to  that  which  is  good." 

Deut.  XXX.  6,  "The  Lord  thy  God  will  circumcise 
thine  heart,  and  the  heart  of  thy  seed,  to  love  the 
Lord  thy  God  with  all  thy  heart,  and  with  all  thy 
soul :"  Ezek.  xxx.  26,  "A  new  heart  will  I  give  you, 
and  a  new  spirit  will  I  put  within  you."  "The  eyes 
of  your  understanding  being  enlightened  that  ye  may 
know  .  .  what  is  the  exceeding  greatness  of  his  power 
to  US-ward  who  believe,  according  to  the  working  of 
his  mighty  power  which  he  wrought  in  Christ  when  he 
raised  him  from  the  dead."  Eph.  i.  18,  &c. 

4.  "  And  by  effectually  drawing  them  to  Christ,  so 
that  they  come  most  freely,  being  made  willing  by  his 
grace." 

Thus,  Jer.  xxxi.  3,  "I  have  loved  thee  with  an  ever- 
lasting love,  therefore,  with  loving  kindness  have  I 
drawn  thee."  Cant.  i.  4,  "Draw  me,  we  will  run 
after  thee."  Psalm  ex.  3,  "Thy  people  shall  be  will- 
ing in  the  day  of  thy  power."  Phil.  ii.  13,  "It  is  God 
that  worketh  in  you  both  to  will  and  to  do  of  his 
own  good  pleasure." 

Thus  it  is  seen  that  "the  doctrine  of  unconditional 
election,"  as  taught  by  Calvinists,  does  not  "neces- 
sarily imply  irresistible  grace,  absolutely  impelling  and 
controlling  the  will,"  though  as  taught  by  Methodists, 
it  does.  A  single  illustration,  and  we  pass  on.  When 
Jacob  was  on  his  return  from  Padan-aram,  Gen.  xxxii. 


PREDESTINATION  MAKES  GOD  PARTIAL,  ETC.         177 

24,  Esau,  his  enraged  brother,  at  the  head  of  four 
hundred  men,  came  out  against  him.  In  this  exigency 
the  patriarch,  having  sent  before  a  present  to  appease 
the  wrath  of  the  enemy,  spent  the  night  in  prayer. 
What  was  the  result?  Why  Esau,  instead  of  meeting 
him  with  a  drawn  sword,  as  he  had  intended,  ran  as 
soon  as  he  saw  him,  and  fell  upon  his  neck,  and  em- 
braced him. 

Does  any  one  suppose  his  free  agency  was  destroy- 
ed? Here  then,  we  have  an  instance  of  all  conquer- 
ing grace.  "The  king's  heart  is  in  the  hand  of  the 
Lord,  and  he  turneth  it  whithersoever  he  will."  "It 
is  God  that  worketh  in  you  both  to  will  and  to  do  of 
his  own  good  pleasure."  There  is  a  sense,  it  is  true, 
in  which  the  charms  of  Christ  are  made  irresistible, 
but  0,  it  is  a  sweet  constraint. 

"'Twas  the  same  love  that  spread  the  feast, 
That  stveetly  forced  us  in ; 
Else  we  had  still  refused  to  taste, 
And  perished  in  our  sin." 

A  fourth  objection  to  the  doctrine  of  predestination 
is,  that  it  "makes  God  partial." 

Thus  says  Dr.  Fisk,  in  his  Calvinistic  Controversy, 
page  50,  "The  doctrine  we  oppose  makes  God  partial, 
and  a  respecter  of  persons." 

Mr.  Watson  says,  "  It  cannot  be  reconciled  with 
that  frequent  declaration  of  Scripture,  that  God  is  no 
respecter  of  persons."* 

Mr.  Wesley  says,  "  You  contradict  the  whole  ora- 
cles of  God,  which  declare  throughout,  God  is  no  re- 
specter of  persons."  Acts  x.  34.  "There  is  no  re- 
spect of  persons  with  him."  Rom.  ii.  11. f 

Here  then  is  the  charge,  let  us  notice  next,  the 
admission  of  those  who  make  it. 

^  *  Theological  Institutes,  Part  II.  Chap.  xxvi. 

f  Doctrinal  Tracts,  page  166. 


178  PREDESTINATION    MAKES   GCD 

The  Rev.  R.  Watson,  speaking  of  the  ninth  chap- 
ter of  Romans,  says,  "We  have  in  it  several  instances 
of  unconditional  election.  Such  was  that  of  Jacob 
to  the  exclusion  of  Esau,  which  election  was  declared 
when  the  children  were  yet  in  the  womb,  before  they 
had  done  good  or  evil,  so  that  the  blessing  of  the  spe- 
cial covenant  did  not  descend  upon  the  posterity  of 
Jacob  because  of  righteousness  in  their  progenitor. 
In  like  manner  when  Almighty  God  determined  no 
longer  to  found  his  visible  Church  upon  natural  de- 
scent from  Abraham  in  the  line  of  Isaac  and  Jacob, 
nor  in  any  line  according  to  the  flesh,  but  to  make 
faith  in  his  Son  Jesus  Christ  the  gate  of  admission 
into  this  privilege,  he  acted  according  to  the  same 
sovereign  pleasure.  A  man  of  Macedonia  appears  to 
Paul  in  a  vision  by  night,  and  cries,  '  Come  over  into 
Macedonia,  and  help  us.'  But  we  have  no  reason  to 
believe  that  the  Macedonians  were  better  than  other 
gentiles,  although  they  were  elected  to  the  privilege 
and  advantages  of  evangelical  ordinances.  So  in 
modern  times,  parts  of  Hindostan  have  been  elected 
to  receive  the  gospel,  and  yet  its  inhabitants  present- 
ed nothing  more  worthy  of  this  election  than  the  peo- 
ple of  Thibet  or  California,  who  have  not  been  so 
elected."* 

Mr.  Wesley,  it  has  been  already  shown,  teaches 
the  same  doctrine.  Here  then  it  is  admitted  that 
God  does  more  for  the  temporal  and  spiritual  advan- 
tages of  some  nations  than  he  does  for  others.  It  is 
admitted  also,  that  this  bestowment  of  his  favours  is 
sovereign  and  unconditional — that  is,  it  does  not  rest 
on  superior  goodness. 

Dr.  Scott  truly  remarks,  that  "  the  doctrine  of  per- 
sonal election  to  eternal  life,  when  properly  stated, 
lies  open  to  no  objection,  which  may  not  likewise  with 

*  Theological  Institutes,  Part  II.  Chap.  xxvi. 


PARTIAL   AND   UNJUST.  179 

equal  plausibility  be  urged  against  the  conduct  of  God,  in 
placing  one  nation  in  a  more  favourable  condition  than 
another,  especially  as  to  religious  advantages;  with- 
out the  good  or  bad  behaviour  of  either  of  them,  or 
any  discernible  reason  for  the  preference.  In  both 
cases  we  may  say  unmerited  favour  to  one  person  or 
people  is  no  injustice  to  others;  and  the  infinitely 
wise  God  hath  many  reasons  for  his  determinations, 
which  we  cannot  discern,  and  which  he  designs  not  to 
make  known  to  us."* 

These  divines  however  go  a  step  further,  and  teach 
the  doctrine  of  personal,  unconditional  election  itself, 
as  has  been  shown. 

3.  They  teach  again,  that  God  does  more  for  some 
than  he  does  for  others  in  the  efiicacy  of  the  divine 
call,  as  has  been  shown.  And  yet  these  are  the  men 
who  object  to  predestination,  because  (as  they  say,) 
"  it  makes  God  partial,  and  a  respecter  of  persons." 

4.  The  passages  of  Scripture  cited  to  prove  that 
"  God  is  no  respecter  of  persons,"  do  not  teach  that 
he  does  not  do  more  for  some  than  he  does  for  others. 

The  first  is  contained  in  Acts  x.  34.  The  occasion 
of  it  was  this.  The  Apostles,  as  Jews,  under  their 
carnal  prejudices,  did  not  suppose  "the  Gentiles 
should  be  fellow-heirs,  and  of  the  same  body,  and  par- 
takers of  the  promise  of  God,  in  Christ,  by  the  gos- 
pel." But  the  Apostle  Peter,  having  received  a  di- 
vine intimation  to  the  contrary,  said  to  the  Roman 
Centurion,  who  had  sent  for  him,  "Ye  know  that  it 
is  an  unlawful  thing  for  a  man  that  is  a  Jew,  to  keep 
company,  or  to  come  unto  one  that  is  of  another  na- 
tion; but  God  hath  showed  me  that  I  should  not  call 
any  man  common  or  unclean."  Acts  x.  28.  And 
when  he  heard  the  revelation  Cornelius  had  received, 
he  said,  "of  a  truth,  I  perceive  that  God  is  no  re- 

*  Force  of  Truth,  page  95. 


180  PREDESTINATION   MAKES   GOD 

specter  of  persons ;  but  in  every  nation  he  that  fear- 
eth  him  and  worketh  righteousness,  is  accepted  of 
him."  Acts  x.  34,  35.  ,  Thus  teaching  (not  that  he 
does  not  do  more  for  some  than  he  does  for  others, 
but)  that  "  in  every  nation  he  that  feareth  him  and 
"worketh  righteousness  is  accepted  of  him."  The  pas- 
sage in  Romans  has  the  same  meaning. 

A  fifth  objection  to  predestination,  is  that  it  de- 
stroys the  justice  of  God. 

Thus  say  the  Doctrinal  Tracts,  page  32:  "  This  is 
the  present  objection  against  unconditional  reproba- 
tion, (the  plain  consequence  of  unconditional  election,) 
it  flatly  contradicts,  indeed,  utterly  overthrows  the 
Scripture  account  of  the  justice  of  God." 

The  Rev.  R.  Watson  says,  "  It  is  manifestly  con- 
trary to  his  justice."* 

Mr.  Wesley  says,  "  It  destroys  all  his  attributes  at 
once.  It  overturns,  both  his  justice,  mercy,  and  truth. 
Yea,  it  represents  the  most  holy  God  as  worse  than 
the  devil,  as  both  more  false,  more  cruel,  and  more 
unjust,  "t 

Let  us  see.  In  the  Doctrinal  Tracts  they  say, 
page  246,  "  We  are  all  born  under  the  guilt  of  Adam's 
sin,  and  all  sin  deserves  eternal  misery." 

Mr.  Watson  says,  "The  full  penalty  of  Adam's 
offence  passed  upon  his  posterity.  A  full  provi- 
sion to  meet  the  case  is  indeed  made  in  the  gospel, 
but  that  does  not  affect  the  state  in  which  men  are 
born." 

In  the  Minutes  of  the  Fourth  Annual  Conference, 
of  the  Methodists  of  England,  of  which  Mr.  Wesley 
was  the  soul,  in  answer  to  the  question,  "Can  an 
unbeliever  (whatever  he  be  in  other  respects,)  challenge 
anything  of  the  justice  of  God?  they  say  absolutely 


*  Theological  Institutes,  Part  II.  Chap.  xxvi. 
■j-  Sermon  on  Free  Grace. 


PARTIAL   AND   UNJUST.  181 

nothing  but  hell.     And  this  is  a  point  which  we  can- 
not too  much  insist  on."* 

Mr.  Watson  says  again,  "The  only  relation  in 
which  an  offended  sovereign  and  a  guilty  subject 
could  stand  in  mere  justice,  was  that  of  a  judge  and  a 
criminal  capitally  convicted."  "The  penalty  of 
transgression  is  death ;  this  is  too  plainly  written  in 
the  Scriptures  to  be  denied.  And  if  it  were  right  to 
attach  that  penalty  to  offence,  it  is  most  certainly 
righteous  to  execute  it." 

The  above  quotations,  (which  might  be  greatly 
enlarged,)  are  strictly  Calvinistic  and  strictly  scrip- 
tural. 

In  accordance  with  them.  Dr.  A.  Clarke  says  in  his 
Theology,  page  76,  "God  dispenses  his  benefits, 
when,  where,  and  to  whom  he  pleases.  No  person 
can  complain  of  his  conduct  in  these  respects,  because 
no  person  deserves  any  good  from  his  hands." 

The  Rev.  R.  Watson  says,  Theological  Institutes, 
Part  II.  Chap,  xxvi.,  "God  has  a  right  to  select 
whom  he  pleases  to  enjoy  special  privileges;  in  this 
there  is  no  unrighteousness,  and  therefore  in  limiting 
these  favours  to  such  branches  of  Abraham's  seed,  as 
he  choose  to  select,  neither  his  justice  nor  his  truth  is 
impeached." 

Again,  speaking  of  "the  new  election  into  his 
church  of  believers,  both'  of  Jews  and  Gentiles,"  he 
says  in  the  same  chapter,  "God  had  the  unquestion- 
able right  of  forming  a  new  believing  people,  not  of 
Jews  only,  but  also  of  Gentiles,  and  of  filling  them  as 
vessels  of  honour  with  those  riches,  that  fulness  of 
glory,  as  his  now  acknowledged  Church,  for  which  he 
had  afore-prepared  them  by  faith,  the  only  ground  of 
their  admission  into  the  new  covenant." 

Of  course  then,  if  God  "  forms  a  believing  people, 

*  Whitehead's  Life  of  Wesley,  page  138. 

16 


182  PREDESTINATION   MAKES   GOD 

and  prepares  them  by  faith,  for  admission  into  the 
new  covenant,"  he  must  "select  whom  he  pleases  to 
enjoy"  this  "special  privilege,"  and  Mr.  Watson  tells 
us,  that  "God  had  the  unquestionable  right  of  form- 
ing a  new  believing  people,"  &c. 

The  above  reasoning  is  certainly  conclusive  from 
the  premises,  and  the  premises  are  undoubtedly 
sound,  Calvinistic  and  scriptural. 

But  does  not  this  imply  the  doctrine  of  reproba- 
tion? Let  us  see.  The  sovereign  people  of  these 
United  States  elect  their  President,  but  in  doing  this, 
they  do  nothing  more  than  they  have  a  right  to  do; 
viz.  "to  select  whom  they  please  to  enjoy  special 
privileges."  Nor  in  doing  this  do  they  make  the  con- 
dition of  those  not  elected,  any  worse  than  it  was 
before.  The  sovereign  people  of  the  several  States 
elect  whom  they  please  to  be  their  civil  officers,  nor 
in  doing  this  do  they  do  the  non-elect  any  injury,  or 
make  their  condition  any  worse  than  it  was  before. 
Now  surely  God,  without  being  "worse  than  the  devil," 
may  be  as  sovereign  and  free  as  man,  and  elect  whom 
he  pleases  to  eternal  life;  nor  in  doing  this,  do  the 
non-elect  any  injury,  or  make  their  condition  worse 
than  it  was  before. 

Again,  if  the  sovereign  people  of  these  United 
States  do  not  elect  a  President,  we  will  have  no 
President ;  and  if  the  sovereign  people  of  the  several 
States  do  not  elect  their  civil  officers,  we  will  have  no 
officers.  And  if  God  does  not  elect  sinners  to  salva- 
tion, and  give  them  spiritual  life,  not  a  sinner  would 
be  saved.  The  hopes  then  of  the  Church,  and  of  a 
fallen  world,  are  suspended  on  the  doctrine  of  per- 
sonal, sovereign,  and  unconditional  election.  Where 
then  is  the  monster  to  destroy  it,  and  close  the  gate 
of  Paradise  against  all  the  children  of  Adam? 

Once  more.  Although  none  but  the  elect  can  be 
President,  and  none  but  the  elect  can  be  civil  officers, 


PARTIAL   AND   UNJUST.  183 

be  they  never  so  anxious;  "whosoever  will,  may  par- 
take of  the  waters  of  life  freely,"  Rev.  xx.  17,  and 
"him  that  cometh  unto  Christ,  he  will  in  no  wise  cast 
out."  John  vi.  37. 

It  has  already  been  shown  that  all  are  sinners,  and 
that  "all  sin  deserves  eternal  misery;"  that  "the 
penalty  of  transgression  is  death;"  and  that  if  it 
were  right  to  attach  that  penalty  to  offence,  it  is  most 
certainly  righteous  to  execute  it."  Where  then  is  the 
unrighteousness  towards  the  guilty,  "in  passing  them 
by,"  according  to  the  Confession  of  Faith,  "and 
ordaining  them  to  dishonour  and  wrath  for  their  sin? 

Does  this  "make  God  worse  than  the  devil,  more 
false,  more  unholy,  more  unjust,"  because  Presby- 
terians teach  it?  Is  Calvinism  to  be  tolerated  no 
where  out  of  the  Methodist  Church? 

The  following  remarks  of  Dr.  Thomas  Scott  are  so 
excellent,  that  I  will  take  the  liberty  of  transcribing 
them: 

"If  sinners  deserve  the  punishment  inflicted  on 
them,  it  cannot  be  unjust  in  the  great  Governor  of 
the  world  to  pre-determine  their  condemnation  to  it. 
The  contrariety  to  justice  and  goodness,  if  there  be 
any,  muat  certainly,  be  found  in  the  Lord's  actually 
dealing  with  his  creatures,  and  not  in  his  pre-determi- 
nation  thus  to  deal  with  them.  It  could  not  be  incon- 
sistent with  any  of  the  divine  attributes,  for  the  Lord 
from  all  eternity  to  decree  to  act  consistently  with 
all  of  them.  The  clamours  excited  against  predesti- 
nation, if  carefully  scrutinized,  are  generally  found 
to  be  against  the  thing  decreed,  and  r\pt  against  the 
circumstance  of  its  having  been  decreed  from  eternity. 
The  sovereignty  of  God,  when  duly  considered, 
appears  to  be  nothing  more  than  infinite  perfection 
determining  and  accomplishing  everything  in  the  best 
manner  possible ;  and  infallibly  performing  the  coun- 
sels  of   everlasting  knowledge  and  wisdom,  justice, 


184  UNCONDITIONAL  ELECTION 

truth,  and  love,  notwithstanding  all  the  plans  and 
designs  of  innumerable  voluntary  rational  agents, 
which  might  seem  incompatible  with  them :  nay,  per- 
forming those  counsels  even  by  means  of  these  volun- 
tary agents,  in  perfect  consistency  with  their  free 
agency  and  accountableness;  but  in  a  manner  which 
we  are  utterly  incapable  of  comprehending."* 

But  says  Dr.  Fisk,  "All  who  hold  to  the  uncondi- 
tional election  of  a  part  of  mankind  to  eternal  life, 
must,  to  be  consistent  with  themselves,  take  into  their 
creed  the  horrible  decree  of  reprobation.  They 
must  believe  that  in  the  ages  of  eternity,  God  deter- 
mined to  create  men  and  angels  on  purpose  to  damn 
them  eternally. "f 

"Unconditional  election  I  cannot  believe,"  says 
Wesley,  "  not  only  because  I  cannot  find  it  in  Scrip- 
ture, but  also  because  it  necessarily  implies  uncondi- 
tional reprobation. "J 

To  this  we  reply, 

1.  That  personal,  unconditional  election  (as  we 
have  seen)  is  taught  in  books  published  by,  and  en- 
dorsed by  the  General  Conference. 

2.  That  the  Doctrinal  Tracts  of  the  Methodist 
Church,  do  teach  the  doctrine  of  reprobation  in  con- 
nection with  the  doctrine  of  election.  Thus  on  pages 
lo9,  140,  they  say,  "  The  Scriptures  tell  us  plainly 
what  predestination  is :  it  is  God's  fore-appointing 
obedient  believers  to  salvation,  not  without,  but  ac- 
cording to  his  foreknowledge  of  all  their  works  from 
the  foundation  of  the  world.  And  so  likewise,  he  pre- 
destinates or  |ore-appoints  all  disobedient  unbelievers 
to  damnation,  not  without,  but  according  to  his  fore- 
knowledge of  all  their  works  from  the  foundation  of 
the  world." 

*  Force  of  Truth,  page  95. 

•f-  Calvinistic  Controversy,  page  47. 

j  Doctrinal  Tracts,  page  16. 


IMPLIES   REPROBATION.  185 

"  We  may  consider  this  a  little  further.  God, 
before  the  foundation  of  the  world,  foreknew  all 
men's  believing,  or  disbelieving,  and  according  to 
this  his  foreknowledge,  he  chose,  or  elected  all 
obedient  believers,  as  such,  to  salvation,  and  refused, 
or  reprobated  all  disobedient  unbelievers,  as  such, 
to  damnation.  Thus  the  Scriptures  teach  us  to 
consider  election  and  reprobation  according  to  the 
foreknowledge  of  God  from  the  foundation  of  the 
world." 

On  these  extracts  I  observe,  in  the  language  of 
another, 

1.  "  It  is  asserted  that  some  men  will  live  and  die 
*  disobedient  unbelievers.' 

2.  "  That  God  had  a  perfect  'foreknowledge  of  all 
their  works  from  the  foundation  of  the  world.' 

3.  "It  follows,  that  he  perfectly  foreknew  their 
character,  names,  and  number :  these  were  certainly 
known,  i.  e.,  immutably  certain,  as  God  could  not 
mistake  a  single  name,  or  miscount  a  single  unit  of 
the  precise  number  of  '  the  disobedient  unbelievers' 
who  are  'fore-appointed  to  damnation.' 

4.  "  These  '  disobedient  unbelievers'  thus  infalli- 
bly known,  by  works,  character,  names,  number, 
God  has  '  predestinated,  or  fore-appointed  to  damna- 
tion !' 

5.  "  This  '  predestination  to  damnation'  of  the 
precise  number  of  '  disobedient  unbelievers,  was  from 
eternity,  or  '  according  to  God's  foreknowledge  of 
their  works  from  the  foundation  of  the  world.' 

6.  "This  'fore-appointment  or  refusal'  of  the  exact 
number  of  '  disobedient  unbelievers,'  this  decree  of 
reprobation  was  passed  before  they  were  born,  and, 
of  course,  'before  they  had  done  either  good  or  evil.' 
Thus  '  some  men  are  born,  devoted  from  the  womb  to 
eternal  death.'  What  then  is  the  use  of  preaching  to 
them,  praying  for  them,  &c. 

1*6* 


186  PREDESTINATION   MAKES   GOD  A   SINNER. 

7.  "  *  This  eternal  decree'  of  reprobation  (we  are 
told  in  the  same  volume,  page  15,)  '  God  will  not 
change,  and  man  cannot  resist !'  So  that  the  Ar- 
minian  decree  of  reprobation  is  not  only  eternal,  but 
irresistible  and  unchangeable ! 

8.  "  These  '  disobedient  unbelievers'  are  thus 
particularly  and  unchangeably  designed,  and  their 
number  is  so  certain,  and  definite,  that  it  cannot  be 
either  increased  or  diminished,  unless  God  may  be 
mistaken. 

9.  " '  How  uncomfortable  a  thought  is  this,'  say 
the  Doctrinal  Tracts,  '  that  thousands  and  millions  of 
men,  without  any  preceding  ofi"ence,  or  fault  of 
theirs,  were  unchangeably  doomed  to  everlasting 
burnings  !  How  peculiarly  uncomfortable  must  it  be 
to  those  who  have  put  on  Christ?  To  those  who, 
being  fi.lled  with  'bowels  of  mercy,  tenderness,  and 
compassion,  could  even  wish  themselves  accursed  for 
their  brethren's  sake.'  "  Page  163. 

When,  therefore.  Dr.  Fisk  says,  "Reprobation  is 
kept  out  of  sight,  and  yet  it  is  as  heartily  believed 
by  modern  Calvinists,  as  it  was  by  John  Calvin  him- 
self; it  is  taught  too,  but  it  is  taught  covertly,"*  to 
make  his  statement  true,  he  should  have  substituted 
Arminians  for  Calvinists. 

And  now  we  ask,  what  must  be  thought  of  those 
who  make  such  an  outcry  about  the  difiiculties  of  Cal- 
vinism, who  at  the  same  time  avow  such  a  scheme  as 
they  give  us  ? 

But  says  Dr.  Fisk  in  his  Calvinistic  Controversy, 
page  21,  "  This  doctrine  of  predestination  makes  God 
the  author  of  sin." 

Again,  page  22,  "It  would  add  much  to  the 
consistency  of  this  system,  if  all  its  advocates 
would  acknowledge  what  is  evidently  deducible  from 

*  Calvinistic  Controversy,  the  Sermon. 


PREDESTINATION   MAKES   GOD   A   SINNER.  187 

the  premises,   that    God   is   the    efficient    author   of 
Sin. 

As  this  objection  is  found  in  all  Arminian  writers, 
let  these  quotations  from  Dr.  Fisk,  suffice  for  the 
whole. 

We  have  already  shown  that  the  Confession  of 
Faith  makes  the  distinction  between  the  positive  and 
permissive  decrees  of  God,  and  that  according  to 
Messrs.  Wesley,  Watson,  Dr.  Clarke,  and  Mrs.  Rod- 
gers,  who  teach  the  doctrine  of  the  divine  decrees  as 
it  is  taught  in  the  Confession  of  Faith,  "that  distinc- 
tion involves  no  such  consequences."  We  therefore 
now  state  the  objection  that  we  may  give  one  speci- 
men of  what  the  objectors  teach  themselves. 

Thus  the  Rev.  R.  Watson,  in  his  exposition  of 
Matt.  xxvi.  63,  "Jesus  held  his  peace,"  says,  "He 
knew  that  the  wisdom  of  God,  had  appointed  that  he 
should  be  found  guilty,  upon  a  charge  which  was  in 
fact  the  great  truth,  by  which  he  was  glorified,  name- 
ly, that  he  professed  to  be  the  Son  of  God."* 

Now  let  us  take  the  usual  course  of  Arminian  argu- 
mentation. 

Christ  was  charged  with  "professing  to  be  the  Son 
of  God."  "The  wisdom  of  God  had  appointed  that 
he  should  be  found  guilty  upon  the  charge."  But  if 
it  was  appointed  by  God  that  it  should  be,  it  could 
not  be  otherwise.  As  then  Christ  was  condemned 
and  slain  by  wicked  hands,"  Matt,  xxiii.  24,  Acts  ii. 
23,  and  this  was  the  appointment  of  God,  God  is  the 
author  of  sin. 

Would  it  not  be  well  for  Arminians  to  give  the 
public  an  expurgated  edition  of  their  own  writings? 

A  sixth  objection  to  personal,  unconditional  elec- 
tion, is,  that  "If  it  be  true,  then  all  preaching  is 
vain.     It  is  needless  to  them  that  are  elected,  for 

*  Comment  on  the  New  Testament. 


188  PREDESTINATION    MAKES   GOD   A   SINNER, 

they,  whether  with  or  without  preaching,  will  infalli- 
bly be  saved.  Therefore,  the  end  of  preaching  to 
save  souls  is  vain  in  regard  to  them.  And  it  is  use- 
less to  them  that  are  not  elected,  for  they  cannot 
possibly  be  saved.  They,  whether  with  or  without 
preaching,  will  infallibly  be  damned,"  &c.* 

The  Presbyterian  Confession  of  Faith  says.  Chap, 
iii.  Sec.  6,  "As  God  hath  appointed  the  elect  unto 
glory,  so  hath  he  by  the  eternal  and  most  free  counsel 
of  his  will,  foreordained  all  the  means  thereto." 

Accordingly,  when  Paul  and  his  companions  "were 
exceedingly  tossed  by  a  tempest,  and  neither  sun  nor 
stars  in  many  days  appeared,  and  all  hope  that  they 
should  be  saved  was  taken  away,  Paul,  after  a  long 
abstinence,  stood  forth  in  the  midst  of  them  and  said: 
I  exhort  you  to  be  of  good  cheer,  for  there  shall  be 
no  loss  of  any  man's  life,  but  of  the  ship.  For  there 
stood  by  me  this  night  an  angel  of  God  ....  saying, 
fear  not  Paul;  thou  must  be  brought  before  Caesar, 
and  lo!  God  hath  given  thee  all  them  that  sail  with 
thee.  Wherefore,  sirs,  be  of  good  cheer,  for  I  believe 
God,  that  it  shall  be  even  as  it  was  told  me."t 

From  this  it  appears  that  Paul  and  his  companions 
were  elected  to  be  saved ;  and  this  having  been 
announced  by  an  angel  of  God,  was  infallibly  certain. 
Yet  when  the  shipmen  were  about  to  flee  out  of  the 
ship,  and  had  let  down  the  boat  into  the  sea,  under 
colour,  as  though  they  would  have  cast  anchors  out  of 
the  foreship,  Paul  said  to  the  centurion,  "Except 
these  abide  in  the  ship  ye  cannot  be  saved."  Now 
suppose  an  Arminian  objector  had  been  present, 
would  he  not  have  exclaimed.  What  do  you  mean 
Paul  ?  Did  you  not  just  tell  us  we  should  all  be 
saved;  and  that  an  angel  had  told" you  so?  What 
matters  it,  therefore,  whether  these  go  or  stay?  If 
we  are  to  be  saved  we  will  be  saved. 

*  Doctrinal  Tracts,  page  159.  f  Acts  xxvii.  18,  &c. 


PREDESTINATION   MAKES   GOD  A   SINNEB.  189 

"Nay,  but  0  man,  -who  art  thou  that  repliest 
against  God."  "As  God  hath  appointed  salvation  as 
the  end,  so  hath  he  by  the  eternal,  and  most  free  coun- 
sel of  his  will,  foreordained  ail  the  means  thereto." 
These  sailors  are  necessary  to  manage  and  take 
care  of  the  ship.  "  What,  therefore,  God  hath  joined 
together,  let  not  man  put  asunder."  The  centurion 
believed  Paul — the  sailors  were  retained  in  the  ship 
until  the  proper  time,  and  then  "they  that  could  swim 
first  cast  themselves  into  the  sea,  and  got  to  land,  and 
the  rest,  some  on  boards,  and  some  on  broken  pieces 
of  the  ship.  And  so  it  came  to  pass  that  they  all  es- 
caped as  the  angel  declared." 

The  above  case,  it  is  true,  refers  to  an  election  to 
salvation  from  a  temporal  death,  but  the  same  prin- 
ciple holds  good  in  reference  to  an  election  to  salva- 
tion from  eternal  death. 

Luke,  speaking  of  Paul's  ministry  at  Antioch,  says, 
Acts  xiii.  44—48,  "  And  the  next  Sabbath-day, 
came  almost  the  whole  city  to  hear  the  word  of  God ; 
.  .  .  and  as  many  as  were  ordained  to  eternal  life 
believed." 

"As  many  as  were  ordained  to  eternal  life" — there 
is  election.  "Believed" — there  is  faith  consequent 
upon  their  election,  and  so  election  is  not  conditional, 
or  on  account  of  faith.  "  Almost  the  whole  city  came 
to  hear  the  word  of  God" — there  is  the  preaching  of 
the  gospel,  the  appointed  means  by  which  "as  many 
as  are  ordained  to  eternal  life  believe." 

The  same  writer  speaking  of  the  preaching  of  the 
same  Apostle,  amid  great  opposition  at  Corinth,  says, 
Acts  xviii.  7,  &c.,  "Then  spake  the  word  of  the  Lord 
to  Paul,  in  the  night  by  a  vision,  saying  'Be  not 
afraid,  but  speak  and  hold  not  thy  peace,  for  I  am 
with  thee,  and  no  man  shall  set  on  thee  to  hurt  thee, 
for  I  have  much  people  in  this  city.", 

"I  have  much  people  in  this  city" — there  is  elec- 
tion.    "  Speak  and  hold   not   thy  peace" — there   is 


190         RENDERS   THE    MEANS   OF   GRACE   USELESS. 

the  gospel,  the  appointed  means  to  bring  the  elect  to 
Christ. 

Rev.  Richard  Watson,  commenting  on  this  passage, 
says,  "It  may  mean,  that  there  were  many  serious 
and  well  disposed  inquirers  among  the  Greeks  at  Co- 
rinth," who  "manifested  their  readiness  to  receive 
the  gospel  when  the  Jews  opposed  and  blasphemed. 
And  it  is  not  improbable  that  to  such  proselytes,  who 
were  in  many  places  a  people  prepared  of  the  Lord, 
reference  is  made  when  our  Saviour,  speaking  to 
Paul  in  this  vision,  says,  'I  have  much  people  in  this 
city.'  "* 

To  this  we  reply,  that,  "it  may  mean,"  "and  it  is 
probable,"  are  grounds  too  slight  to  set  aside  the  ob- 
vious meaning  of  a  passage  of  Scripture. 

Again,  2  Tim.  ii.  10,  "  I  endure  all  things  for  the 
elect's  sake,  that  they  may  obtain  the  salvation  that 
is  in  Christ  Jesus  with  eternal  glory." 

The  distinction  between  "  the  salvation  that  is  in 
Christ  Jesus,"  and  "eternal  glory,"  shows  that  the 
former  refers  to  what  takes  place  in  time,  and  the 
latter  to  what  takes  place  in  eternity. 

"  That  they  may  obtain  the  salvation  that  is  in 
Christ  Jesus."  This  teaches  that  election  takes  place 
before  the  elect  have  obtained  that  salvation,  and  so 
is  not  on  account  of  it.  "I  endure  all  things  for  the 
elect's  sake,  that  they  may  obtain,"  &c.  There  is  the 
appointed  means  that  the  elect  may  obtain  it.  "  For 
whosoever  shall  call  on  the  name  of  the  Lord  shall  be 
saved.  But  how  shall  they  call  on  him  in  whom  they 
have  not  believed,  and  how  shall  they  believe  in  him 
of  whom  they  have  not  heard,  and  how  shall  they  hear 
without  a  preacher?"  Rom.  x.  13,  14.  Thus  we  see 
the  Confession  of  Faith  sustained  by  the  Bible. 

We  have  already  seen  that  the  doctrine  of  personal 
• 
*  Theological  Institutes,  pp.  509,  510. 


RENDERS   THE   MEANS   OP   GRACE   USELESS.  191 

unconditional  election  is  as  distinctly  taught  in  the  Me- 
thodist Church  as  it  is  in  the  Presbyterian  Confession 
of  Faith.  Accordingly  we  find  that  denomination,  in 
accordance  with  that  Calvinistio-  doctrine,  "  enduring 
much  for  the  elect's  sake,  that  they  may  obtain  the 
salvation  that  is  in  Christ  Jesus  with  eternal  glory." 
As  then,  the  objection  which  they  urge  as  Arminians 
is  in  the  face  of  their  Calvinism,  their  practice,  and 
the  Scriptures,  it  must  fall  to  the  ground.  We  will, 
therefore,  proceed  to  a  seventh  objection. 

Thus  they  say  in  their  Doctrinal  Tracts,  page  91, 
"Is  a  man  careless,  and  unconcerned,  utterly  dead  in 
trespasses  and  sins?  Exhort  him  (suppose  he  is  of 
your  opinion)  to  take  care  of  his  immortal  soul.  I 
take  care!  says  he.  What  signifies  my  care?  Why, 
what  must  be,  must  be.  If  I  am  elected,  I  must  be 
saved,  and  if  I  am  not,  I  must  be  damned." 

"  If  I  am  one  of  the  elect  then  I  must  and  shall  be 
saved;  therefore,  I  may  safely  sin  a  little  longer,  for 
my  salvation  cannot  fail."* 

"Man  need  do  nothing  but  wait  for  irresistible 
grace,  which,  if  he  be  elected,  will  come,  though  it  be 
but  in  the  last  hour;  and  if  he  be  reprobated,  will 
never  come,  be  his  diligence  and  waiting  what  it 
can."t 

In  reply  to  this,  we  may  remark,  first,  that  as  to  ir- 
resistible grace,  that  has  been  shown  to  be  not  a  doc- 
trine of  the  Presbyterian,  but  a  hyper-Calvinistic 
doctrine  of  the  Methodist  Church.  Secondly,  we 
have  seen  also  where  the  doctrine  of  reprobation  of 
right  belongs.  Divested  of  these  doctrines  of  the  Me- 
thodist Church,  the  objection  involves,  first:  "The 
absurdity  of  supposing  the  accomplishment  of  an 
event  without  the  means  by  which  it  is  to  be  accom- 
plished.    As  if  I  should  say,  if  I  am  to  go  to  London, 

*  Doctrinal  Tracts,  p.  9.  f  Ibid.  p.  100. 


192  DESTROYS  FREE   AGENCY 

I  shall  go  to  London,  whether  I  embark  on  a  vessel 
or  not.  Or  if  we  are  to  have  a  pleasant  day  to-mor- 
row, we  shall  have  a  pleasant  day  to-morrow,  w^hether 
the  sun  shall  rise  or  not.  Absurdity  is  thus  stamped 
upon  the  face  of  the  objection.  Those  who  reach 
London  must  pass  over  the  ocean ;  and  if  there  be  a 
pleasant  day,  the  sun  must  rise.  So  those  who  are 
elected  to  salvation,  as  the  end,  must  be  prepared  for 
it  by  'the  sanctification  of  the  Spirit  and  belief  of  the 
truth,  as  the  necessary  means  for  the  attainment  of 
that  end.'  'As  God  hath  appointed  the  elect  unto 
glory,  so  hath  he  foreordained  all  the  means  thereto.'  " 

2.  "This  objection  is  not  acted  on  in  similar  cases. 
'Does  the  farmer  say,  if  I  am  to  have  a  crop  this  year, 
I  will  have  a  crop  whether  I  cultivate  my  grounds  or 
not  ?  Does  another  man  say.  If  I  am  to  be  rich,  I 
shall  be  rich,  whether  I  make  any  effort  or  not?  Does 
the  sick  man  say,  if  I  am  to  get  well,  I  will  get  well 
whether  I  take  medicine  or  not?  Oh  no!  they  do  not 
say  so.  And  here  it  may  be  remarked,  there  is  a  pas- 
sage of  Scripture  just  in  point.  Job,  speaking  of 
man's  temporal  life,  says,  'his  days  are  determined, 
the  number  of  his  months  are  with  thee;  thou  hast 
appointed  his  bounds  that  he  cannot  pass.'  Jobxiv.  5. 

"But  does  the  sick  man  say,  since  'my  days  are 
determined,  the  number  of  my  months  is  with  him,  he 
has  appointed  the  bounds  of  my  life  that  I  cannot 
pass;'  I  will,  therefore,  send  for  no  physician,  take 
no  medicine,  nor  make  any  effort  to  protract  my  life  ? 
If  I  am  to  die  of  this  disease,  I  must  die,  do  what  I 
will ;  and  if  I  am  not  to  die  of  it,  I  cannot  die,  do  what 
I  may?  Does  the  sick  man  say  so?  O  no!  but  he 
rather  reasons  thus :  I  know  that  God,  as  an  infinite 
being,  must  know  all  things,  and  of  course  he  must 
know  the  day  of  my  death.  But  I  have  observed  that 
there  is  generally  a  connection  between  the  means  and 
the  end.     I  have  seen  persons  die,  evidently  for  want 


AND  ACCOUNTABILITY.  193 

of  medical  aid ;  and  I  have  seen  persons  at  the  point 
of  death  restored  to  health,  evidently  by  medical 
skill.  This  is  enough  for  me.  '  The  secret  things  be- 
long to  the  Lord  our  God ;  but  those  things  which  are 
revealed  belong  to  us,  and  to  our  children  for  ever, 
that  we  may  do  all  the  words  of  this  law.'  Deut.  xxix. 
29.  This  is  enough.  It  is  perfectly  rational  in  the 
one  case,  why  not  in  the  other  also?"* 

7.  "  This  doctrine  (of  predestination)  destroys  the 
free  agei:icy,  and  of  course  the  accountability,  of 
raan."t  "  I  object  to  the  doctrine  of  decrees,  as  held 
by  the  Calvinists,  because  it  is  inconsistent  with,  and 
destructive  of  the  free  agency  of  man.  The  opposers 
of  Messrs.  Wesley  and  Fletcher  violently  assailed 
them  on  this  head.  Mr.  Southey  informs  us,  in  his 
Life  of  Wesley,  that  the  Calvinists  called  the  doctrine 
of  free  will  '  a  cursed  doctrine' — '  the  most  God-dis- 
honouring, and  soul-destroying  doctrine' — 'one  of  the 
prominent  features  of  the  beast' — '  the  enemy  of 
God' — '  the  offspring  of  the  wicked  one' — '  the  inso- 
lent brat  of  hell.'  "J 

To  this  we  reply, 

1.  It  is  admitted  by  Arminians,  that  this  objection 
applies  with  equal  force  against  the  Divine  Omni- 
science; and  to  this  objection  they  give  a  Calvinistic 
and  very  satisfactory  answer. §  It  is,  therefore,  for 
them  to  sayj  why  they  urge  it  against  the  divine  de- 
crees only. 

2.  It  was  not  "  free  will"  in  the  sense  of  free 
agency,  that  Calvinists  opposed,  but  "  free  will"  ac- 
cording to  the  Arminian  idea  of  a  self-determining 
power  of  the  will.  Calvin,  in  his  answer  to  Pigius, 
says:  "With  regard  to  the  word,  I  repeat  here  what 

*  Dr.  Baker's  Revival  Sermons,  pp.  295,  296. 
+  Calvinistic  Controversy,  the  Sermon. 
X  Foster's  Objections  to  Calvinism,  page  36. 
I  See  Chap.  VII. 

17 


194  DESTROYS   FREE   AGENCY 

I  have  said  in  my  Institutes,  that  I  have  no  such  su- 
perstitious dependence  upon  terms,  as  to  contend 
about  them,  supposing  that  the  knowledge  of  the  doc- 
trine to  which  thej  refer  be  preserved  safe  and  un- 
corrupted.  If  force  be  opposed  to  freedom,  I  acknow- 
ledge and  will  affirm,  that  there  is  a  free  will,  a  will 
determining  itself,  and  proclaim  every  one  who  thinks 
otherwise,  a  heretic.  Let  the  will  be  called  free  in 
this  sense,  that  is,  because  it  is  not  constrained  or 
impelled  irresistibly  from  without,  but  determines 
itself  by  itself,  and  I  will  no  longer  dispute."* 

Such,  then,  were  Calvin's  views.  We  will  hear 
next  from  the  Westminster  divines.  Their  views  on 
this  subject  were  the  views  of  Calvinists  in  the  days 
of  Messrs.  Wesley  and  Fletcher,  and  ever  since. 
"God,"  say  they,  "hath  endued  the  will  of  man  with 
that  natural  liberty,  that  it  is  neither  forced,  nor  by 
any  absolute  necessity  of  nature,  determined  to  good 
or  evil. 

"  Man,  in  his  state  of  innocency,  had  freedom 
and  power  to  will  and  to  do  that  which  is  good  and 
•well  pleasing  to  God;  but  yet  mutably,  so  that  he 
might  fall  from  it. 

"  Man,  by  his  fall  into  a  state  of  sin,  hath  wholly 
lost  all  ability  of  will  to  any  spiritual  good,  accom- 
panying salvation :  so  as  a  natural  man  being  alto- 
gether averse  from  that  which  is  spiritually  good,  and 
dead  in  sin,  is  not  able,  by  his  own  strength,  to  con- 
vert himself,  or  to  prepare  himself  thereto."t 

Next  we  will  hear  from  the  Arminians,  and  first 
from  Arminius  himself. 

"  This  is  my  opinion  concerning  the  free  will  of 
man:  in  his  primitive  condition,  as  he  came  out  of 
the  hands  of  his  Creator,  man  was  endowed  with  such 

*  Henry's  Life  of  Calvin,  Vol.  I.  Chap.  ix.  page  497. 
f  Confession  of  Faith,  Chap.  IX.  Sec  i.  ii.  iii. 


AND   ACCOUNTABILITY.  195 

a  portion  of  knowledge,  holiness,  and  power,  as  en- 
abled him  to  understand,  esteem,  consider,  will,  and 
to  perform  the  true  good,  according  to  the  command- 
ment delivered  to  him:  yet,  none  of  these  acts  could 
he  do,  except  through  the  assistance  of  divine  grace. 
But  in  his  lapsed  and  sinful  state,  man  is  not  capable 
of  and  by  himself,  either  to  think,  to  will,  or  to  do, 
that  which  is  really  good :  but  it  is  necessary  for  him 
to  be  regenerated,  and  renewed  in  his  intellect,  affec- 
tions, or  will,  and  in  all  his  powers,  by  God  in  Christ, 
through  the  Holy  Spirit,  that  he  may  be  qualified 
rightly  to  understand,  esteem,  consider,  will,  and  per- 
form whatever  is  truly  good."* 

Next  we  will  hear  the  General  Conference.  "  The 
condition  of  man  after  the  fall  of  Adam  is  such  that 
he  cannot  turn  and  prepare  himself  by  his  own 
strength,  and  works,  to  faith  and  calling  upon  God ; 
wherefore  we  have  no  power  to  do  good  works,^ 
pleasant  and  acceptable  to  God,  without  the  grace  of 
God  by  Christ  preventing"  (that  is,  preparing)  "us 
that  we  may  have  a  good  will,  and  working  with  us 
when  we  have  that  good  will."t 

Thus  it  will  be  seen  that  Arminius,  and  the  Arti- 
cles of  the  Methodist  Episcopal  Church  go  (if  any- 
thing) farther  than  Calvin  and  the  Confession  of 
Faith,  and  yet  Arminians  charge  Calvinism  with 
taking  away  free  agency  from  man. 

That  the  divine  decrees  are  true,  has  been  reduced 
to  a  demonstration  :|  and  that  man  is  a  free  agent,  is 
a  matter  of  consciousness.  But  although  we  have  no 
doubt  that  things  which  are  true  apart,  will  be  true 
when  brouglit  together,  yet  how  to  supply  the  con- 
necting link,  Calvinists  do  not  know,  and  Revelation 
does  not  inform  us.     We  have  never  met  with  more 

■*  Life  of  Arminius  by  Bangs,  p.  224. 

f  Articles  and  Discipline  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal  Church, 
Chap.  viii.  %  See  Chap.  VIII. 


1&6  DOES  NOT  DESTROY  FREE 

than  two  sensible  men,  who  thought  they  could  re- 
move the  difficulty.  ' 

The  following  remarks  of  Rev.  R.  Watson  are 
so  sensible  that  we  must  by  no  means  omit  them. 
Speaking  of  the  government  of  God,  he  says, 
"A  second  character  of  this  government  is,  that, 
notwithstanding  its  sovereignty  and  certainty,  it 
interferes  not  with  human  liberty.  This  is  a  doc- 
trine as  clearly  stated  as  the  former,  (viz.  that  it 
is  sovereign  and  uncontrolled).  If  by  freedom  it 
were  meant  that  man  were  left  wholly  to  himself, 
that  no  influence  is  exerted  over  him,  no  directions 
given  to  his  thinkings  and  motives,  the  doctrine 
could  not  be  maintained  consistently  with  the  sov- 
ereignty of  God;  but  this  insulated  situation  is  not 
necessary  to  constitute  freedom.  If  we  are  so  free 
from  constraint,  that  our  actions  are  properly  our 
^wn,  we  have  the  freedom  of  moral  agents.  This  is 
taught  in  Scripture.  We  shall  be  rewarded  or 
punished  for  our  actions,  and  they  are  therefore 
properly  our  own.  Of  this  we  have  the  highest 
evidence  of  which  a  subject  is  capable,  our  own 
internal  perceptions.  We  feel  that  we  are  free,  and 
that  we  might  have  avoided  the  evil  into  which  we 
have  fallen,  and  have  done  the  good  that  we  have 
neglected.  We  may  not  be  able  to  reconcile  the 
sovereign  control  of  God  with  the  freedom  of  his 
creatures;  but  that  does  not  prove  the  doctrine  false; 
it  only  proves  our  own  ignorance.  The  Scriptures 
assert  both  propositions ;  reason  can  demonstrate 
that  they  do  not  contain  a  contradiction ;  and  if  they 
involve  difficulty,  that  is  no  more  than  may  be 
affirmed  of  truths  universally  acknowledged."* 

This  being  a  point  on  which  Arminians  dwell  so 
much,  we  wish  to  notice  still  another  inconsistency. 

Mr.    Wesley    says,    "  God    doth    whatsoever    he 

*  Sermon  on  The  Reign  of  God. 


AGENCY  AND  ACCOUNTABILITY.  197 

pleaseth  in  heaven  and  earth,  and  in  the  sea  and  all 
deep  places  ....  only  he  that  can  do  all  things 
else,  cannot  deny  himself:  he  cannot  counteract 
himself  and  oppose  his  own  work.  Were  it  not  for 
this  (viz.  destroying  free  agency)  he  -would  destroy 
all  sin  with  its  attendant  pain  in  a  moment.  He 
■would  abolish  wickedness  out  of  his  whole  creation, 
and  suffer  no  trace  of  it  to  remain."* 

The  Rev.  N.  L.  Bangs  says,  (as  we  have  seen)  "  To 
say  that  the  power  of  God  was  adequate  to  have 
prevented  man  as  a  free  agent  from  sinning,  is  a  con- 
tradiction." 

The  Rev.  R.  Watson  says,  (as  we  have  seen)  "  We 
may  confidently  say,  that  God  willed  the  contrary  of 
Adam's  offence,  and  used  all  means  consistent  with 
his  determination  to  give  and  maintain  free  agency 
to  his  creatures,  to  secure  the  accomplishment  of  his 
will." 

Here,  then,  we  are  taught  that  God  cannot  pre- 
vent man  from  sinning,  without  destroying  his  free 
agency,  and  that  he  cannot  destroy  his  free  agency, 
without  denying  and  counteracting  himself.  We  will 
now  show,  that  these  divines  flatly  contradict  them- 
selves in  this  also. 

1.  In  regard  to  man  as  a  sinner.  Thus  says  Mr. 
Wesley,  "  If  you  truly  fear  God,  you  need  fear  none 
besides.  He  will  be  a  strong  tower  to  all  that  trust 
in  him,  from  the  face  of  all  their  enemies.  .  .  .  Let 
all  earth  and  all  hell  combine  against  you,  yea,  the 
whole  animate  and  inanimate  creation,  they  cannot 
harm  you  while  God  is  on  your  side.  His  favourable 
kindness  covers  you  as  a  shield."f 

But  how  can  God  prevent  all  earth  and  hell  from 
harming  his  people,  if  he  cannot  prevent  them  from 
sinning? 

*  Sermon  on  Divine  Providence.  f  Ibid. 

17* 


198  NOT   CONSISTENT   WITH 

2.  In  convicting  sinners.  Thus  sajs  Bishop 
Morris,  "  Though  he  irresistibly  convicts  all  sinners, 
he  irresistibly  converts  none."* 

The  Rev.  E,.  Watson,  speaking  of  the  conversion  of 
Saul,  says,  "  We  see  where  the  irresistible  influence 
terminated,  and  where  his  own  agency  commenced." 
Mr.  Wesley  "admits  there  are  cases  wherein  the 
power  of  divine  grace  works  as  irresistibly  as  light- 
ning." If  then,  the  sinner's  awakening  is  irresistible, 
"what  comes  of  his  free  agency  while  it  is  going  on? 

3.  In  conversion.  "I  believe,"  says  Wesley,  "that 
the  grace  which  brings  faith,  and  thereby  salvation 
into  the  soul,  is  irresistible  at  that  moment."  And 
he  "  admits  that  in  some  souls,  the  grace  is  so  far  ir- 
resistible that  they  cannot  but  believe  and  be  finally 
saved."     Where  then  is  free  agency  ? 

Thus  we  see,  that  these  sticklers  for  free  agency, 
notwithstanding  they  nullify  every  idea  of  it  for  which 
they  contend,  still  tell  us  "  God  is  determined  to 
maintain  it,"  and  that  he  cannot  interfere  with  it, 
without  "denying  and  counteracting  himself,"  &c. 

A  tenth  objection  to  the  doctrine  of  personal  un- 
conditional election,  is  that  "it  cannot  be  reconciled 
to  the  sincerity  of  God  in  offering  salvation  by  Christ, 
to  all  who  hear  the  gospel."t  Nay,  that  "it  so  ill 
agrees  with  it,"  that  "  it  makes  the  preaching  of  the 
gospel  a  mere  mock  and  illusion."! 

We  have  already  seen,  that  according  to  Armini- 
ans,  "the  eternal  decree,  concerning  the  elect  and 
reprobate,  is  expressed  in  these  words,  viz:  'He  that 
believeth  shall  be  saved,  he  that  believeth  not,  shall 
damned;'  and  that  this  decree  God  will  not  change, 
and  man  cannot  alter;"  that  "from  the  foundation 


*  Sermon  on  The  Operations  of  the  Spirit, 
f  Theological  Institutes,  Part  II.  Chap.  xxvi. 
%  Doctrinal  Tracts,  pp.  42,  100. 


THE   GOSPEL  OFFER.  199 

of  the  world  God  foreknew  all  men's  believing  or  not 
believing,  and  according  to  this  his  foreknowledge,  he 
chose  or  elected  all  obedient  believers  as  such,  to  sal- 
vation, and  refused  or  reprobated  all  disobedient  un- 
believers, as  such,  to  damnation;"  that  the  "reason 
why  all  men  have  not  saving  faith,"  is  because,  "no 
man  is  able  to  work  it  in  himself." 

If  then  "  God  from  the  foundation  of  the  world 
foreknew  all  men,  believing  or  disbelieving,"  and  by 
an  eternal  unchangeable  decree,  "reprobated  all  dis- 
obedient unbelievers,  as  such,  to  damnation"  for  not 
having  the  faith,  they  "could  not  work  in  themselves," 
he  must  not  only  have  foreknown  all  the  reprobate, 
but  as  they  could  not  but  sin,  for  want  of  the  faith  they 
could  not  create,  he  must  have  created  them  on  purpose 
to  damn  them.    Now,  as  soon  as  Arminians  tell  us  how 
"it  can  be  reconciled  to  the  sincerity  of  God  to  offer 
salvation  by  Christ   to  those  whom  he  eternally  de- 
creed to  damn,  Calvinists  are  ready  to  pledge  them- 
selves to  remove  the  objections  here  urged  against  the 
doctrine  of  personal   unconditional  election.      They 
themselves    admit  that  this  objection  may  be  urged 
against  the  foreknowledge  of  God,  and  that  they  can- 
not answer  it.*      Why  then  do  they  direct  all  their 
artillery  against  the  divine  decrees  only  ?     Calvinists 
have  no  doubt  of  the  infinite  value  of  the  atonement, 
and  that  it  is  of  such  a  nature,  and  so  extensive  as  to 
authorize  the  offer  of  every  blessing  of  "  the  gospel  to 
every  creature" — that  man  is  a  free,  moral  agent,  and 
that  not  to  accept  the  offer,  is  a   most  damning  sin. 
And  though  they  pretend  not  to  fathom  "  the  deep 
things  of  God,"  their  hearts  are  not  frozen,  nor  their 
tongues  palsied,  in  making  the  offer.      When  the  Sa- 
viour himself  has  said,  "  Look  unto  me  and  be  ye  saved, 
all  ye  ends  of  the  earth."  Isaiah  xlv.  22.    "  Whosoever 
will,  let  him  take  of  the  waters  of  life  freely."*  Rev. 

*  See  Chap.  VII. 


200  IS   A   DISCOURAaiNG   DOCTRINE. 

xxii,  17.  "Him  that  cometh,  I  will  in  no  wise  cast 
out."  John  vi.  37.  "  He  that  believeth  shall  be 
saved,"  Mark  xvi.  16;  and  that  "if  we  confess  our 
sins  he  is  faithful  and  just  to  forgive  our  sins,  and  to 
cleanse  us  from  all  unrighteousness,"  1  John  i.  9 ; 
they  do  not  desire  to  "be  wise  above  what  is  written," 
nor  to  "  exercise  themselves  in  things  too  high  for 
them."  "The  secret  things  belong  unto  the  Lord  our 
God;  but  those  which  are  revealed,  belong  unto  us, 
and  to  our  children  for  ever,  that  we  may  do  all  the 
words  of  this  law."  Deut.  xxix.  29. 

11.  "It  is  a  discouraging  doctrine."* 

To  this  objection  we  give  the  following  reply  of 
Dr.  Nettleton :  "Are  there  not,"  says  he,  "many, 
who  are  still  without  God,  and  without  hope  in  the 
world  ?  They  have  spent  their  best  days  in  sin. 
All  means  have  hitherto  proved  ineffectual.  So 
many  years  of  their  probation  are  gone,  and  they  are 
still  enemies  of  God.  Permit  me  to  summons  those 
individuals  to  the  bar  of  their  own  consciences." 

"  What  reason  have  you  to  believe  that  the  gospel 
which  you  have  heard  in  vain  for  so  many  years,  will 
take  effect  when  your  hearts  are  still  more  hard?  I 
would  that  you  might  feel  the  difficulty.  We  have 
no  more  powerful  means,  than  those  which  have  al- 
ready been  used.  Now  if  you  deny  the  doctrine  of 
election,  where  is  your  hope  ?  We  will  suppose  the 
doctrine  is  not  true — that  God  will  leave  you  to  do 
as  you  have  done,  and  leave  the  means  to  operate  as 
they  have.  Is  this  encouraging.  Deny  the  doctrine 
of  election  and  there  is  not  a  sinner  in  this  assembly 
who  has  the  least  reason  to  conclude  that  he  shall  be 
saved. 

"  Perhaps  some  are  displeased  with  this  doctrine, 
and  hope  it  is  not  true.  Then  let  me  address  you  on 
your  own  ground. 

*  Doctrinal  Tracts,  pp.  31,  32. 


IS   A   DISCOURAGING   DOCTRINE.  201 

"  Whether  the  doctrine  of  election  be  true  or  false, 
it  is  an  eternal  truth,  acknowledged  by  all,  '  that  ex- 
cept ye  repent,  ye  shall  perish.'  Luke  xiii.  3.  Strike 
out  the  doctrine  of  election,  yet  the  doctrine  of  regen- 
eration is  true.  'Verily,  verily,  I  say  unto  you,  ex- 
cept a  man  be  born  again,  he  cannot  see  the  kingdom 
of  God.'  John  iii.  3.  Strike  out  the  doctrine  of  elec- 
tion, and  let  the  means  operate  just  as  they  have 
done,  yet  the  doctrine  of  faith  is  true.  'He  that  be- 
lieveth  not,  shall  be  damned.'  Mark  xvi.  16.  Here 
is  a  given  character  which  all  the  heirs  of  salvation 
must  possess.  Now  you  are  at  liberty  to  become 
Christians  on  the  easiest  scheme  you  can.  If  you 
will  repent  and  believe,  and  be  born  again,  you  shall 
be  saved,  whatever  may  become  of  the  doctrine  of 
election.  But  why  have  you  not  done  these,  and  be- 
come Christians  already  ?  Why  do  you  stand  dis- 
puting about  this  doctrine,  when  you  know  that  you 
must  repent  and  believe,  and  be  born  again,  or  be 
lost?  What  will  your  disputing  about  this  doctrine 
do,  when  you  know  that  you  must  repent  and  believe 
and  be  born  again,  or  be  lost !  What  will  your  dis- 
puting about  this  doctrine  accomplish?  If  it  be  true, 
disputing  will  not  alter  it.  Is  it  necessary  for  you  to 
prove  the  doctrine  to  be  false,  before  you  can  repent  ? 
If  you  will  repent  and  believe,  and  be  born  again 
without  it,  it  is  high  time  you  were  in  earnest  on  the 
subject.  If  you  say  you  cannot  repent,  unless  'God 
grant  you  repentance,'  Acts  v.  31;  xi.  18;  that  is 
the  same  as  to  say  you  cannot  repent  unless  the  doc- 
trine of  election  is  true.  For  if  the  doctrine  of  elec- 
tion is  not  true,  it  is  certain  that  God  has  not  deter- 
mined to  grant  repentance  to  any  of  the  human  race. 
If  this  doctrine  is  not  true,  it  is  certain  that  God  has 
not  determined  to  grant  you  repentance."* 

*  Nettleton's  Memoir,  pp.  279—281. 


202  PROMOTES   CARELESSNESS,   AND 

12.  A  twelfth  objection  to  the  doctrine  is,  that  it  is 
calculated  to  produce  carelessness  and  indifference. 

Thus,  in  the  Doctrinal  Tracts,  page  91,  the  care- 
less sinner  is  represented  as  saying,  "  What  signifies 
my  care?  Why,  what  must  be,  must  be.  If  I  am 
elected,  I  must  be  saved,  and  if  not,  I  must  be 
damned." 

To  this  we  reply,  if  it  were  announced  to  several 
prisoners  under  sentence  of  deatt,  that  the  Governor 
had  determined  to  pardon  a  certain  number  of  them, 
and  had  made  his  selection,  it  would  rouse  in  all,  the 
most  intense  anxiety.  Why  then  it  should  have  a 
different  tendency,  when  God  is  the  Governor,  and 
the  eternal  death  of  the  soul  the  penalty,  is  not  easy 
to  conceive.  In  our  opinion,  the  tendency  is  just  the 
other  way.  The  various  candidates  for  civil  ofiice  in 
our  government,  from  the  President  down,  well  know 
they  cannot  all  be  elected.  Does  this  lull  them  to 
sleep?  0  no.  Having  been  called  out  by  their 
friends  they  double  their  diligence,  though  sure  of 
success.  Why  then  may  not  a  similar  knowledge,  in 
reference  to  those  who  are  called  by  the  gospel,  lead 
them  to  use  "  diligence  to  make  their  calling  and  elec- 
tion sure?"  2  Peter  i.  10. 

Another  objection  to  the  doctrine  is,  that  "  it  tends 
to  destroy  the  comfort  of  religion,  the  happiness  of 
Christianity."* 

So  thought  not  Paul ;  but  hear  him — Rom.  viii.  28. 
"  We  know  that  all  things  work  together  for  good  to 
them  that  love  God,  to  them  who  are  the  called,  ac- 
cording to  his  purpose.  For  whom  he  did  foreknow 
he  also  did  predestinate  to  be  conformed  to  the  image 
of  his  Son,  that  he  might  be  the  first-born  among 
many  brethren.  Moreover,  whom  he  did  predestinate, 
them  he  also  called;  and  whom  he  called,  them  he 

*  Doctrinal  Tracts,  page  161. 


LEADS   TO   UNIVERSALISM.  203 

also  justified ;  and  whom  he  justified,  them  he  al^o 
glorified." 

So  much  for  the  doctrine ;  now  for  the  comfort. 
"What  shall  we  say  then  to  these  things  ?  If  God  be 
for  us,  who  can  be  against  us?  He  that  spared  Qot 
his  own  Son,  but  freely  gave  him  up  for  us  all,  how 
shall  he  not  also  with  him  freely  give  us  all  things  ? 
Who  shall  lay  anything  to  the  charge  of  God's  elect  ? 
It  is  God  that  justifieth  :  who  is  he  that  condemneth? 
It  is  Christ  that  died,  yea  rather  that  is  risen  again, 
who  is  even  at  the  right  hand  of  God,  who  also  mak- 
eth  continual  intercession  for  us.  Who  shall  separate 
us  from  the  love  of  Christ?  Shall  tribulation,  or  dis- 
tress, or  persecution,  or  famine,  or  nakedness,  or  peril, 
or  sword?  As  it  is  written.  For  thy  sake  are  we 
killed  all  the  day  long ;  we  are  accounted  as  sheep  for 
the  slaughter.  Nay,  in  all  these  things  we  are  more 
than  conquerors,  through  him  that  loved  us.  For  I 
am  persuaded  that  neither  death,  nor  life,  nor  angels, 
nor  principalities,  nor  powers,  nor  things  present,  nor 
things  to  come,  nor  height,  nor  depth,  nor  any  other 
creature,  shall  be  able  to  separate  us  from  the  love  of 
God,  which  is  in  Christ  Jesus,  our  Lord." 

Such  then,  is  the  comfort  which  the  Apostle  Paul 
derived  from  the  doctrine.  And  if  such  considera- 
tions are  not  comforting  to  any  believer,  it  is  difficult 
to  conceive  what  would  be. 

But  says  Dr.  Fisk,  "It  leads  to  Universalism  and 
Infidelity.  I  have  personally  known  numbers  who 
have  been  driven  by  the  doctrine  we  object  to,  into 
open  infidelity."*  , 

What  a  man  knows,  he  knows;  it  would  be  more 
satisfactory  however,  to  hear  from  these  erring  indi- 
viduals themselves. 

As  to  the  first  of  these  objections,  viz.  That  "it 

*  Calvinistic  Controversy,  pp.  27,  28. 


204  LEADS   TO   INFIDELITY  AND 

l^ads  to  Universalism,"  we  remark,  that  if  the  doc- 
trine of  personal  unconditional  election  leads  to  Uni- 
versalism, we  would  like  to  know  to  what  the  Arrainian 
notion,  that  "the  offering  of  Christ,  once  made,  is  that 
perfect  redemption,  propitiation,  and  satisfaction  for 
all  the  sins  of  the  whole  world,  both  original  and  ac- 
tual," leads.  It  is  somewhat  remarkable  that  the 
definition  of  the  atonement  here  given,  is  one  of  the 
grand  arguments  urged  by  Universalists  in  favour  of 
their  doctrine,  and  it  is  an  argument  which  no  Armi- 
nian  can  answer. 

On  this  point  we  have  heard  already  the  Rev.  N.  L. 
Bangs,  we  will  therefore  next  hear  the  Rev.  R.  S. 
Foster. 

"  If  Christ  has  absolutely  paid  the  debt  for  his  peo- 
ple, so  that  nothing  more  is  necessary  to  acquit  them 
from  punishment — if  the  punishment  has  been  in- 
flicted and  justice  satisfied  without  anything  further, 
then  it  is  manifest  nothing  more  can  be  requisite  to 
free  them  from  punishment;  and  so  their  sins  cannot 
be  punished,  and  they  cannot  therefore  be  in  any  peril 
■when  they  sin."* 

As  to  the  second  objection,  viz.  That  "it  leads  to 
Infidelity,"  take  the  following  from  the  "Life  and 
Times  of  the  Countess  of  Huntingdon." 

"Lord  Bolingbroke  was  one  day  sitting  in  his 
house  in  Battersea,  reading  Calvin's  Institutes,  when 
he  received  a  morning  visit  from  the  Rev.  Dr.  Church. 
After  the  usual  salutations,  he  inquired  of  the  Doctor 
if  he  could  guess  what  book  lay  before  him,  and  which 
said  he,  I  have  been  studying."  "No  really,  I  can- 
not," replied  Dr.  Church.  Quoth  Bolingbroke,  "It  is 
Calvin's  Institutes,  and  what  do  you  think  of  these 
matters,  doctor?"  inquired  his  lordship.  "Oh,  my 
lord,  we  don't  think  about  such  antiquated  stuff.    We 

*  Objections  to  Calvinism,  page  154. 


INJURES  CHRIST,   ETC.  205 

teacb  tlie  plain  doctrines  of  virtue  and  morality,  and 
have  long  laid  aside  these  abstruse  points  about 
grace."  "  Look  you,  doctor,"  said  Bolingbroke, 
"  you  know  I  don't  believe  the  Bible  to  be  a  divine 
revelation;  but  they  who  do,  can  never  defend  it  on 
any  principle  except  the  doctrine  of  grace.  To  say 
the  truth,  I  have  been  almost  persuaded  to  believe  it 
upon  this  view  of  things,  and  there  is  one  argument 
which  has  gone  very  far  with  me  in  behalf  of  its  au- 
thority ;  that  argument  is,  that  the  belief  of  it  exists 
upon  earth  when  committed  to  the  care  of  such  as  you, 
who  deny  the  only  principles  on  which  it  is  defensible."* 

Again,  "  This  doctrine  is  highly  injurious  to  Christ 
our  Mediator,  and  to  the  efficacy  and  excellency  of 
his  gospel."  "It  represents  the  righteous,  the  only 
begotten  Son  of  the  Father,  full  of  grace  and  truth, 
as  a  hypocrite,  a  deceiver  of  the  people,  a  man  void 
of  common  sincerity. "f 

This  is  a  very  serious  charge,  to  which  we  might 
give  an  extended  reply.  But  as  Arminians  them- 
selves refute  it,  we  will  let  them  speak.  In  Book  III. 
Chapter  iv.  of  the  Life  of  Wesley,  by  the  Rev.  John 
Whitehead,  his  most  intimate  friend,  and  the  most 
impartial  and  judicious  of  his  Methodist  biographers, 
we  find  the  following,  viz.  "Experience  I  think  will 
warrant  the  following  observation.  A  speculative 
Calvinist,  who,  convinced  of  the  error  of  his  system, 
becomes  an  Arminian,  so  called,  is  in  much  greater 
danger  of  falling  into  low,  mean,  unscriptural  notions 
of  Christ  and  his  salvation,  than  a  speculative  Armin- 
ian who  becomes  a  Calvinist." 

This  is  the  statement  of  Mr.  Whitehead,  but  he  im- 
^mediately  adds,  "  Mr.  Wesley  seems  to  have  been  of 
this  opinion."  Pp.  242,  243. 

*  Life  and  Times  of  tiie  Cotintess  of  Huntingdon,  pp.  98,  179. 
t  Doctrinal  Tracts,  pp.  100,  169. 

18 


206  TENDS   TO   DESTROY  MEEKNESS,    ETC. 

According  to  Arminians  themselves,  therefore,  it  is 
Arminianism  that  leads  to  "low,  mean,  unscriptural 
notions  of  Christ,  and  of  the  Christian  salvation," 
while  Calvinism  leads  in  the  opposite  direction. 

Once  more.  "As  directly  does  this  doctrine  tend 
to  destroy  meekness  and  love" — to  inspire  or  increase 
a  sharpness  or  eagerness  of  temper.  "It  naturally 
inspires  contempt  or  coldness  towards  those  whom  we 
suppose  outcasts  from  God."  "You  cannot  help 
sometimes  applying  your  doctrine  to  particular  per- 
sons." "But  how  did  it  sharpen  and  sour  your  spirit 
in  the  mean  time!"* 

These  charges  are  preferred  by  Mr.  Wesley,  and 
endorsed  by  the  Methodist  General  Conference.  Mr. 
Wesley  of  course  .would  be  expected  to  be  least  obnoxi- 
ous to  the  same  charge.  Let  us  see.  One  of  the  rules 
he  enacted  for  the  government  of  the  school  at  King- 
wood,  was,  that  the  boys  should  not  play.  Referring 
to  this  in  the  Conference  of  1783,  he  said — "  They 
ought  never  to  play."t  No  doubt  the  boys  thought 
the  author  of  that  rule  very  "sour." 

Let  not  the  reader  suppose  this  was  a  notion  pecu- 
liar to  Mr.  Wesley.  In  1789  the  first  Methodist 
College  in  America  was  founded  in  Maryland.  Among 
"the  rules  and  regulations  which,  after  having  been 
weighed  and  digested  in  the  American  Conferences, 
were  introduced  by  Dr.  Coke  and  Mr.  Asbury,  con- 
jointly, into  the  new  seminary,"  Rule  18,  was  as  fol- 
lows, viz. 

"The  students  shall  be  indulged  with  nothing  which 
the  world  calls  play.  Let  this  rule  be  observed  with 
the  strictest  nicety ;  for  those  who  play  when  they  are 
young,  will  play  when  they  are  old."  "The  masters 
should  prohibit  play  in  the  strongest  terms. "| 

*  Doctrinal  Tracts,  page  161. 

f  Taylor's  Wesley  and  Methodism,  page  307. 

X  Life  of  Dr.  Coke,  pp.  123,  124. 


TENDS   TO   DESTROY   MEEKNESS,    ETC.  207 

Paul  says,  "When  he  became  a  man,  he  put  a^ay 
childish  things."  1  Cor.  xiii.  11.  But  verily,  Messrs. 
Wesley,  Coke,  Asbury,  and  the  Conferences,  thought 
differently.  We  wonder  if  they  may  not  have  recom- 
mended to  farmers  to  pen  up  their  little  lambs  for  a 
like  reason. 

As  this  objection  is  urged  against  Calvinists,  we 
may  say  a  word  for  Calvin.  "  Morussays,  with  justice, 
(that)  in  him  were  united  virtues  almost  contradictory. 
To  zeal  and  indignation,  he  joined  a  cheerful,  and  even 
mirthful  temper,  which  none  can  deny  but  those  who 
judge  him  rather  by  the  pallid  countenance,  than  by 
his  words  and  acts.  We  have  learned  from  credible 
persons  that  he  made  no  scruple  of  joining  in  a  spor- 
tive game  with  Messieurs,  the  Magistrates.  It  was, 
however,  the  harmless  game  called  La  Olef^  which 
turns  on  one's  ability  to  push  certain  keys  to  the 
furthest  distance  possible  on  a  long  table."* 

But  we  are  not  to  suppose  Arminians  are  always 
"sour."  This  is  evident  from  what  Mr.  Wesley  says 
of  himself  and  his  brother  Charles.  "I  was  a  little 
surprised,"  says  he,  "  at  some  who  were  buffeted  of 
Satan  in  an  unusual  manner,  by  such  a  spirit  of 
laughter  as  they  could  not  resist,  though  it  was  pain 
and  grief  unto  them.  I  could  scarce  have  believed 
the  account  they  gave  me,  had  I  not  known  the  same 
thing  ten  or  eleven  years  ago.  Part  of  Sunday  my 
brother  and  I  then  used  to  spend  walking  in  the 
meadows  and  singing  psalms.  But  one  day,  just  as 
we  were  beginning  to  sing,  he  burst  out  into  a  loud 
laughter.  1  asked  him  if  he  was  distracted ;  and  be- 
gan to  be  very  angry,  and  presently  after,  to  laugh  as 
loud  as  he.  Nor  could  we  possibly  refrain,  though  we 
were  ready  to  tear  ourselves  in  pieces,  but  we  were 
forced  to  go  home  without  singing  another  line."t 

*  Biblical  Repertory,  Vol.  IX.,  page  82. 
t  Works,  Vol.  m.  page  183. 


208  TENDS  TO   DESTROY   MEEKNESS,  ETC. 

From  this  we  learn  that  some  persons  in  Mr.  Wes- 
ley's day,  who  thought  they  ought  not  to  laugh,  were 
seized  with  "  such  a  spirit  of  laughter  as  they  could 
not  well  resist."  This  does  not  at  all  surprise  us. 
We  once  knew  a  man  who  was  beset  with  such  an  idea, 
but  although  he  would  grasp  his  lips  with  his  fingers, 
we  have  several  times  seen  a  laugh  burst  them  open 
and  come  out  in  full  dimensions. 

Neither  are  we  surprised  that  the  man  who  thought 
that  boys  should  not  play,  should  think  himself  "  buf- 
feted of  Satan  in  an  unusual  manner,"  when  seized 
with  a  fit  of  laughter. 

We  were  once  at  a  camp-meeting,  when  from  fifty 
to  a  hundred  of  the  brethren  were  affected  in  the  same 
way  during  sermon.  But  notwithstanding  they  laughed 
most  heartily,  as  soon  as  the  sermon  was  ended 
mourners  were  called  out  to  be  prayed  for.  The 
reader,  however,  should  recall  the  Scripture  which 
says,  "Let  your  laughter  be  turned  to  mourning,  and 
your  joy  to  heaviness."  James  iv.  9.  Still,  he  may 
be  at  a  loss  for  an  explanation,  when  he  learns  that 
these  laughing  brethren  attributed  their  laughter  to 
the  influence  of  the  Holy  Spirit,  while  Mr.  Wesley 
attributed  his  to  the  devil. 

But  it  is  time  to  return  to  the  consideration  of  the 
objection,  viz.  That  the  doctrine  of  predestination 
tends  to  destroy  meekness,  love,  &c. 

Mr.  Wesley,  speaking  to  pious  parents  about  their 
children,  says,  "  In  general,  if  they  do  not  fear  God, 
you  should  leave  them  as  soon  as  is  convenient.  But 
wherever  you  are,  take  care,  if  it  be  in  your  power, 
that  they  do  not  want  the  necessaries  or  conveniences 
of  life.  As  for  all  other  relations,  even  brethren  and 
sisters,  if  they  are  of  the  world,  you  are  under  no  obli- 
gations to  be  intimate  with  t-hem.  You  may  be  civil 
and  friendly  at  a  distance."* 

*  Sermon  on  Friendship  with  the  World. 


TENDS   TO   DESTROY   MEEKNESS,    ETC.  209 

Paul  lays  it  down  as  among  the  greatest  sins  of 
the  heathen,  that  they  are  "without  natural  affec- 
tion." Rom.  i.  31.  What  Paul  lays  down  as  a  gross 
sin,  however,  Mr.  Wesley  lays  down  as  a  Christian 
duty. 

Again,  speaking  of  "the  friendship  of  the  world, 
as  enmity  against  God,"  he  says,  "It  is  the  most 
excellent  way,  indeed    the    only  way  to    heaven,  to 

avoid  all  intimacy  with  worldly  men." "A  few 

I  have  known,  who  even  in  this  respect,  were  lights  in 
a  benighted  land;  who  did  not,  and  would  not  either 
contract,  or  continue  any  acquaintance  with  persons 
of  the  most  refined  and  improved  understanding,  and 
the  most  engaging  tempers,  merely  because  they  were 
of  the  world,  because  they  were-  not  alive  to  God. 
Yea,  though  they  were  capable  of  improving  them  in 
knowledge,  or  of  assisting  them  in  business.  Nay, 
though  they  admired  and  esteemed  them  for  that 
very  religion,  which  they  did  not  themselves  experi- 
ence. A  case  one  would  hardly  think  possible,  but 
of  which  there  are  many  instances  at  this  day. 
Familiar  intercourse  even  with  these,  they  steadily 
refrained  from  for  conscience  sake.  Go  thou  and  do 
likewise,  whosoever  thou  art,  that  art  a  child  of  God 
by  faith.  Whatever  it  cost,  flee  spiritual  adultery. 
Have  no  friendship  with  the  world.  However  tempted 
thereto  by  profit  or  pleasure,  contract  no  intimacy 
with  worldly-minded  men.  And  if  thou  hast  con- 
tracted any  such  already,  break  it  off  without  delay. 
Yea,  if  thy  ungodly  friend  be  dear  to  thee,  as  a  right 
eye,  or  useful  as  a  right  hand,  yet  confer  not  with 
flesh  and  blood,  but  pluck  out  the  right  eye,  cut  off 
the  right  hand,  and  cast  them  from  thee !  It  is  not 
an  indifferent  thing.  Thy  life  is  at  stake:  eternal 
life  or  eternal  death.  And  is  it  not  better  to  go  into 
life,  having  one  eye  or  one  hand,  than  having  both,  to 
be  cast  into  hell  fire?  When  thou  knewest  no  better, 
18* 


210  TENDS   TO   DESTROY  MEEKNESS,   ETC. 

the  times  of  this  ignorance  God  winked  at.  But  now 
thine  eyes  are  opened;  now  thy  light  is  come,  walk 
in  the  light.  Touch  not  pitch  lest  thou  be  defiled. 
At  all  events,  keep  thyself  pure.  But  whatever 
others  do,  whether  they  will  hear,  or  whether  they 
will  forbear,  hear  this,  all  ye  that  are  called  Metho- 
dists. However  importuned  or  tempted  thereto,  have 
no  friendship  with  the  world.  Look  round,  and  see 
the  melancholy  efiects  it  has  produced  among  your 
brethren !  How  many  of  the  mighty  are  fallen  by 
this  very  thing.  They  would  take  no  warning. 
They  would  converse,  and  that  intimately,  with  earth- 
ly-minded men,  till  they  measured  back  their  steps 
again.  0  come  out  from  among  them;  from  all 
unholy  men,  however  harmless  they  may  appear ;  and 
be  ye  separate;  at  least  so  far  as  to  have  no  intimacy 
with  them.  As  your  fellowship  is  with  the  Father, 
and  with  his  Son  Jesus  Christ,  so  let  it  be  with  those, 
and  those  only,  who  at  least  seek  the  Lord  Jesus  in 
sincerity.  So  shall  ye  be  in  a  peculiar  sense,  my 
sons  and  daughters,  saith  the  Lord  Almighty.* 

He  had  before  laid  it  down  as  the  religious  duty  of 
parents,  "if  their  children  do  not  fear  God,  to  leave 
them  as  soon  as  is  convenient;"  that  brothers  and 
sisters  are  under  no  obligation  to  be  intimate  with 
their  brothers  and  sisters  "if  they  are  of  the  world." 
Now  he  says,  "the  only  way  to  heaven,  is  to  avoid  all 
intimacy  with  worldly  men,"  and  he  urges  it  upon 
Methodists  especially  "for  conscience  sake  not  to 
contract  or  continue  any  acquaintance  with  such  per- 
sons, even  when  they  are  of  the  most  refined  and 
improved  understanding,  and  the  most  engaging 
manners." 

So  preached  John  Wesley,  a  prince  among  Armi- 
nians,  and  yet  raised  an  objection  to  Calvinism,  which 

*  Sermon  on  Friendship  with  the  World. 


TENDS  TO   DESTROY   MEEKNESS,   ETC.  211 

has  been  endorsed  by  the  General  Conference  of  the 
Methodist  Church,  viz.  that  '*it  naturally  inspires 
contempt  or  coldness  toward  those  whom  we  suppose 
outcasts  from  God." 

Mr.  Wesley,  a  little  previous  to  what  we  have 
quoted,  says,  "  An  individual  of  fine  and  strong  under- 
standing improved  by  education,"  "remarkably  good 
humoured,"  of  a  "compassionate  and  humane  spirit, 
and  much  generosity  of  temper,  is  on  these  very 
accounts,  if  he  does  not  £ear  God,  infinitely  the  more 
dangerous."  And  he  adds,  "0  beware  of  them. 
Converse  with  them  as  much  as  business  requires,  and 
no  more." 

Then  it  follows,  that  although  the  gospel  could 
rarely  be  supported,  but  for  the  aid  it  receives  from 
refined,  well  educated,  benevolent,  law-abiding,  church- 
attending  peof)le,  these  "are  infinitely  more  danger- 
ous" to  the  Christian,  than  those  who  in  their  disposi- 
tions, characters,  and  habits  approach  nearest  to 
devils. 

Our  Saviour  referring  to  the  enmity  of  Jews  and 
heathen  against  Christianity,  and  to  its  spread  among 
them,  said  "a  man's  foes  would  be  they  of  his  own 
household."  Mr.  Wesley  however  would  put  the 
sword  into  the  Christian's  hand. 

Christ  taught  again,  that  his  disciples  "are  the  salt 
of  the  earth,  and  the  light  of  the  world ;"  and  that 
their  light  should  not  be  covered,  nor  the  salt 
kept  to  preserve  itself  merely.  Mr.  Wesley  however 
would  have  the  salt  to  itself,  and  the  light  under  a 
bushel. 

Because  men  are  Christians  they  do  not  cease  to  be 
citizens,  and  the  religion  of  the  Bible  makes  them 
better  citizens  in  all  the  relations  of  life.  And 
though,  like  members  of  the  same  family,  they  may 
on  the  whole,  prefer  the  society  of  their  brethren, 
they  do  not  think  "the  only  way  to  heaven   is  to 


212  TENDS   TO   DESTROY   MEEKNESS,   ETC. 

avoid  all  intimacy  with  worldly  men."  Mr.  Wesley 
thinks  otherwise. 

In  the  same  discourse  he  supposes  one  to  ask, 
"Must  I  not  be  intimate  with  my  relations,  whether 
they  fear  God  or  not?  Has  not  his  providence 
recommended  these  to  me?  Undoubtedly  it  has.  But 
there  are  relations,  near  or  more  distant.  The  near- 
est relations  are  husbands  and  wives.  As  these  have 
taken  each  other  for  better  or  worse,  they  must  make 
the  best  of  each  other,"  &c. 

This  supposes  that  for  a  husband  or  wife  to  be 
pious,  and  his  or  her  companion  not  pious,  is  an  evil 
to  be  tolerated  barely. 

From  the  beginning  of  Methodism  under  Mr.  Wes- 
ley, there  has  been  a  standing  rule  in  the  Methodist 
Episcopal  Church  which  forbids  a  member  to  marry 
one  who  does  not  profess  religion,  or  at  least  to  be 
seeking  it.  A  friend  of  ours  was  once  present  when 
a  member  of  that  communion  was  arraigned  for  hav- 
ing violated  this  rule.  The  accused  appeared  to  be  in 
deep  distress;  but  when  asked  if  he  was  not  sorry  for 
having  married  that  woman.  "No,  I  ain't,"  was  the 
prompt  reply.  Poor  fellow,  he  "could  find  no  place 
for  repentance,  though  he  sought  it  carefully  with 
tears."  (For  a  further  view  of  this  subject  see  Chap- 
ter XVIII.) 

He  continues — "When  it  pleased  God  to  give  me 
a  settled  resolution  to  be  not  a  nominal,  but  a  real 
Christian,  (being  then  about  twenty-two  years  of  age,) 
my  acquaintance  were  as  ignorant  of  God  as  myself. 
...  1  found  by  sad  experience  that  even  their  harm- 
less conversation,  so  called,   dampened  all  my  good 

resolutions In  consequence  of  this,  I 

narrowly  observed  the  temper  and  behaviour  of  all 
that  visited  me.  I  saw  no  reason  to  believe  that  they 
truly  loved  or  feared  God.  Such  acquaintance  I  did 
not  choose.     I  could  not  expect  they  would  do  me 


TENDS  TO   DESTROY   MEEKNESS,   ETC.  213 

any  good.  Therefore,  when  any  of  these  came,  I 
behaved  as  courteously  as  I  could.  But  to  the  ques- 
tion, 'When  will  you  come  to  see  me?'  I  returned  no 
answer.  When  they  had  come  a  few  times,  and  found 
I  still  declined  returning  the  visit,  I  saw  them  no 
more,  and  I  bless  God  this  has  been  my  invariable 
rule  for  about  three-score  years." 

In  his  Works,  Vol.  V.  page  236,  he  says,  "  Let  no 
person  come  into  the  preacher's  house,  unless  he  wants 
to  ask  a  question." 

Our  Saviour  said,  "They  that  are  whole  need  not 
a  physician,  but  they  that  are  sick.  I  came  not  to 
call  the  righteous,  but  sinners  to  repentance."  Mark 
ii.  17.  Mr.  Wesley,  however,  would  say,  "  They  that 
are  sick  need  not  a  physician,  but  they  that  are  whole. 
I  came  not  to  call  sinners,  but  the  righteous  to  repent- 
ance." 

Of  our  Saviour  it  was  said,  "  This  man  receiveth 
•sinners  and  eateth  with  them;"  and  that  "he  had 
gone  to  be  a  guest  with  a  man  that  is  a  sinner,"  &c. 
But  verily  Mr.  Wesley  was  resolved  that  this  should 
not  be  said  of  him,  or  of  the  Methodists. 

Again,  he  says  to  the  members  generally,  "  Invite 
no  unholy  person  to  your  house"  (and)  "on  no  occa- 
sion accept  an  invitation  from  an  unholy  person."* 
Our  Saviour,  on  the  contrary,  when  "a  pharisee  be- 
sought him  to  dine  with  him,  went  in  and  sat  down  to 
meat."  Luke  xi.  37.  The  Apostle  Paul  urged  Chris- 
tians to  "be  given  to  hospitality,"!  and  the  Apostle 
Peter  urged  ministers  to  "  be  ensamples  to  the  flock ;"  J 
Mr.  Wesley,  however,  differed  not  with  our  Saviour 
only,  but  with  his  Apostles  also. 

In  his  sermon  on  "Leaving  the  World,"  he  insists 
not  only  that  "  it  is  dangerous"  (for  the  pious)  "  to 

*  Sermon  on  the  Friendship  of  the  World. 

t  Rom.  xii.  13,  J  1  Pet.  v.  3. 


214  INSPIRES   COLDNESS 

converse  with  any  who  do  not  love  God,  or  at  least 
fear  him  and  sincerely  seek  his  kingdom  and  right- 
eousness," but  says,  "Come  not  near  him,  for  it  is  not 
his  reasonings  or  persuasions  only  that  may  infect 
your  soul,  but  his  breath  is  infectious." 

What  a  leprosy,  therefore,  our  Saviour  and  his  dis- 
ciples must  have  contracted  when  they  "sat  down  to 
meat  with  many  publicans  and  sinners."  Matt.  ix.  10. 
When  Paul  and  his  companions,  on  their  journey  to 
Italy,  escaped  from  the  wrecked  vessel  to  Melita,  they 
were  received  by  "Publius,  the  chief  man  of  the 
island,  and  lodged  courteously  three  days."  Acts 
xxvii.  7.  Now,  if  Mr.  Wesley  had  been  there,  he,  no 
doubt  would  have  whispered  to  Paul,  "  On  no  occasion 
accept  an  invitation  from  an  unholy  person."  "  Come 
not  near  him,  for  not  his  reasonings  or  persuasions 
only,  but  his  breath  is  infectious." 

That  we  may  see  how  far  Mr.  Wesley  went  on  this 
subject,  it  is  proper  to  state,  that  in  a  letter  to  Mr. 
Fletcher,  dated  March  20th,  1768,  he  urged  upon  him 
not  the  unprofitableness  only,  but  the  positive  injury 
of  hearing  the  sermons,  or  keeping  the  company  of 
those  not  "  athirst  for  full  redemption  (entire  sanctifi- 
cation)  and  every  moment  expecting  it,  if  not  enjoy- 
ing it."* 

Let  not  the  reader  suppose  we  are  raking  up  the  old 
repudiated  notions  of  Wesley,  merely.  In  1849,  there 
was  a  volume  of  sermons,  by  Bishop  Maris  of  Ohio, 
"  published  in  Cincinnati  for  the  Methodist  Episcopal 
Church.  In  the  sermon  on  "  Religion,"  the  Bishop  sdys, 
"A  Christian  must  keep  .  .  .  himself  unspotted  from  the 
world,  refusing  .  .  .  any  familiarity  with  the  society  of 
the  world  further  than  is  strictly  necessary  to  trans- 
act lawful  business  with,  and  reclaim  them  from  sin 
and  ruin."     See  1  Cor.  v.  9 — 11. 

*  Life  and  Times  of  the  Countess  of  Huntingdon,  Vol.  II.  pp.  233, 234. 


TOWAKDS   THOSE  WITHOUT.  215 

What  a  relief,  just  here,  is  the  following  from  Dr. 
Franklin.  After  saying,  "I  was  intimateli/  acquaint- 
ed with  Whitefield,  who  used  to  pray  for  my  conver- 
sion," he  says,  "  Ours  was  a  more  civil  friendship, 
sincere  on  hoth  sides,  and  lasted  till  his  death.  The 
following  instance  will  show  on  what  terms  we  stood. 
Upon  one  of  his  arrivals  in  Boston,  from  England,  he 
wrote  me,  that  he  should  come  soon  to  Philadelphia, 
but  knew  not  where  he  might  lodge,  as  he  understood 
that  his  old  friend  and  host,  Mr.  Benezet,  had  re- 
moved to  Germantown.  My  answer  was,  "You 
know  my  house,  if  you  can  make  shift  with  its  scanty 
accommodations,  you  will  be  most  heartily  welcome." 
He  replied,  "If  you  make  this  kind  offer  for  Christ's 
sake,  you  will  not  miss  your  reward."  I  returned, 
"Do not  let  me  be  mistaken.  It  was  not  for  Christ's 
sake,  but  for  yours."*  It  is  necessary  to  add  only, 
that  Whitefield  was  a  Calvinist. 

From  what  has  been  adduced  already,  it  was  evi- 
dently the  design  of  the  founder  of  Methodism,  and 
from  what  we  are  about  to  adduce,  it  will  be  manifest 
that  the  Methodist  Episcopal  Church  now  desires,  to 
be  "  a  peculiar  people"  unto  themselves.  Hence  the 
General  Conference  have  laid  down  the  following 
among  their  rules  of  Government,  viz.  ''  Let  it  be  re- 
commended to  our  people  not  to  attend  the  singing- 
schools  which  are  not  under  our  direction. "f  "It  is 
expected  of  all  who  continue  in  these  (united)  Socie- 
ties, that  they  continue  to  evidence  their  desire  of 
salvation  by  (among  other  things)  buying  one  of  an- 
other, helping  each  other  in  business,  and  so  much 
the  more  because  the  world  will  love  its  own."| 

So  then,  one  of  the  ways  an  individual  is  to  "  evi- 


*  Life  and  Times  of  the  Countess  of  Huntingdon,  Vol.  II.  p.  276. 
■j-  Discipline,  Chap.  i.  Sec.  xxv.  Kule  14,  Edition  1844. 
j  Ibid.  Chap.  ii.  Sec.  i.  Rule  6. 


216  INSPIRES   COLDNESS,   ETC. 

dence  his  desire  of  salvation,"  is  by  buying  of  Metho- 
dists only,  and  helping  them  in  their  business. 

Again,  they  say,  "  Let  no  person  that  is  not  a 
member  of  our  Church  be  admitted  to  the  communion 
without  examination,  and  some  token  given  by  an 
elder  or  deacon."* 

Although  then,  they  receive  into  their  church  from 
the  world,  members  on  probation,  and  admit  them  to 
the  Lord's  supper  without  examination,  whether  they 
profess  conversion  or  not,  this  rule  imperatively  re- 
quires them  to  examine  the  members  of  other  denom- 
inations before  they  admit  them  to  the  same  privilege. 
It  therefore  supposes  that  an  individual,  by  uniting 
with  any  other  than  the  Methodist  Church,  receives 
thereby  a  positive  injury,  and  that  mere  worldlings 
are  better  off. 

But  again,  Mr.  Wesley  says,  "If  I  come  into  a 
new  preaching-house  and  see  the  men  and  women 
(sitting)  together,  I  will  immediately  go  out."f 

From  this  it  appears  he  was  so  "sour,"  that  if 
families  sat  together  in  the  house  of  God,  as  they  sat 
at  home,  he  would  not  preach  to  them.  Surely  then, 
Arminians  are  among  the  last  people  on  this  earth, 
who  ought  to  charge  it  upon  others  that  their  doctrine 
tends  to  "sharpen  and  sour  their  spirits,"  "to  de- 
stroy meekness  and  love,"  and  to  "inspire  contempt 
and  coldness  towards  those  whom  we  suppose  outcasts 
from  God."  If  any  infidel  writer  has  advanced  sen- 
timents more  at  war  with  Christianity  than  what  has 
been  laid  down  as  the  duty  of  pious  parents  towards 
their  unconverted  children — of  a  pious  brother  or  sis- 
ter towards  a  brother  or  sister  not  pious — intercourse 
with  the  world — hospitality,  &c.,  he  has  never  come 
under  our  notice. 


*  Discipline,  Chap.  i.  Sec.  xxiii.  Question  1st,  Answer  2(1. 
f  Works,  Vol.  V.  page  253. 


TENDS  TO  DESTROY  HOLINESS.       217 

That  the  doctrine  of  election  has  a  tendency  exact- 
ly the  reverse  of  that  charged  against  it,  is  evident 
from  the  language  of  Paul :  "  Put  ye  on  therefore,  as 
the  elect  of  God,  holy  and  beloved,  bowels  of  mercies, 
kindness,  humbleness  of  mind,  meekness,  long-suffer- 
ing, forbearing  one  another,  and  forgiving  one  an- 
other, if  any  man  have  a  quarrel  against  any.  Even 
as  Christ  forgave  you,  so  also  do  ye."  Col.  iii.  13; 
1  Cor.  V.  9—13. 

Another  objection  to  the  doctrine  under  considera- 
tion is,  that  it  "has  a  manifest  tendency  to  destroy 
holiness  in  general;"  and  "not  only  Christian  holi- 
ness, happiness,  and  good  works,  but  also  a  direct  and 
manifest  tendency  to  overthrow  the  whole  Christian 
revelation."  "It  represents  our  blessed  Lord  Jesus 
Christ,  the  righteous,  the  only  begotten  Son  of  the 
Father,  full  of  grace  and  truth,  as  a  hypocrite,  a  de- 
ceiver of  the  people,  a  man  void  of  common  sincerity." 
"  It  destroys  all  his  (the  Father's)  attributes  at  once. 
It  overturns  both  his  justice,  mercy  and  truth.  Yea,  it 
represents  the  most  holy  God  as  worse  than  the  devil, 
as  both  more  false,  more  cruel,  and  more  unjust."* 

In  Mr.  Wesley's  Works,  Vol.  V.,  page  238,  we  have 
the  following,  viz. 

"  Question.  What  is  the  direct  antidote  to  Metho- 
dism, the  doctrine  of  heart  holiness  ? 

^''Answer.  Calvinism.  All  the  devices  of  Satan  for 
these  fifty  years  have  done  far  less  toward  stopping 
this  work  of  God  than  that  single  error."  .... 

"  Q.  What  can  be  done  to  guard  against  it?" 

"^.  6.  Very  frequently,  both  in  public  and  pri- 
vate, advise  our  people  not  to  hear  them." 

'•^  A.  7.  Make  it  a  matter  of  constant  prayer  that 
God  would  stop  the  plague." 

In  the  same  volume,  page  241,  we  have  the  follow- 

*  Doctrinal  Tracts,  pp.  160,  165,  167,  170,  171. 

19 


218       TENDS  TO  DESTROY  HOLINESS, 

ing  as  in  part,  the  character  of  a  Methodist,  viz.  "  But 
as  to  all  opinions  which  do  not  strike  at  the  root  of 
Christianity,  we  think,  and  let  think." 
^  Of  course  then,  as  "  Calvinism  is  a  device  of 
Satan" — "the  direct  antidote  of  heart  holiness,"  and 
"which  has  done  more  towards  stopping  that  work  of 
God  than  all  his  other  devices  for  fifty  years  ;"  it 
"strikes  at  the  root  of  Christianity,"  and  is  by  no 
means  to  be  tolerated.  Accordingly,  the  Rev.  N.  L, 
Bangs,  speaking  of  Calvinism  and  tJniversalism,  says 
expressly,  "Of  the  two  systems,  TJniversalism  is  less 
dishonourable  to  God."*  And  therefore,  neither  So- 
cinianism,  Universalism,  Popery,  nor  Infidelity,  is. 
treated  by  Arminians  with  a  tenth  part  of  the  severity 
or  injustice  that  Calvinism  is.  To  guard  against  it, 
Methodists  were  advised  by  the  Conference,  as  we 
have  seen,  not  to  hear  Calvinists  preach.  In  1773, 
there  being  great  confusion  among  the  societies  of  Mr. 
Wesley  in  Ireland,  there  was  a  great  call  in  that 
country  for  Calvinistic  preachers.  The  Rev.  Thomas 
Jones  and  the  Rev.  Mr.  Hawkesworth,  were  accord- 
ingly sent  over  by  Lady  Huntingdon,  the  latter  of 
whom  met  with  considerable  encouragement  in  Lime- 
rick and  Waterford.  A  Mrs.  Bennis,  writing  to  Mr. 
Wesley,  says,  "Mr.  Hawkesworth,  a  Calvinistic  min- 
ister under  Lady  Huntingdon,  has  come  here,  and 
preaches  regularly  at  Methodist  hours,  to  great 
congregations.  .  .  .  Our  people,  though  forbidden  hy 
the  preachers,  go  almost  constantly  to  hear  him.  I 
have  heard  his  discourses  so  praised  that  I  did  wish  to 
hear  him,  but  would  not  show  the  example." 

Mr.  Wesley,  in  his  reply,  says,  "It  is  far  better  for 
our  people  not  to  hear  Mr.  Hawkesworth.  Calvinism 
will  do  them  no  good."t 

*  Reformer  Reformed,  page  172. 

f  Life  and  Times  of  the  Countess  of  Huntingdon,  Vol.  IL  pp. 
164—166. 


HAPPINESS,   GOOD   WORKS,  ETC.  219 

Here  then  we  see  the  efiForts  that  were  made  to 
'  carry  out  the  advice  of  the  Conference. 

But  to  the  objection  as  to  the  tendency  of  Calvin- 
ism. Is  it  well  founded?  "All  Christians  admit 
there  is  an  inseparable  connection  between  religious 
faith  and  sound  morality,  and  that  wherever  scrip- 
tural truth  is  embraced,  the  uniform  eflFect  is  to  pro- 
mote virtuous  feelings  and  conduct.  It  is  admitted, 
also,  that  the  moral  tendencies  of  religious  error  are 
bad  in  proportion  to  the  greatness  of  the  error.  No 
more  conclusive  evidences  of  the  falsity  of  Paganism, 
Deism,  Mohammedanism  and  Popery  can  be  presented 
to  the  reflecting  mind,  than  that  afforded  by  their  cor- 
rupt fruits."  If  then  Calvinism  tends  to  destroy  holi- 
ness, happiness,  good  works,  and  to  overthrow  the 
whole  system  of  revelation — if  "it  represents  the  Lord 
Jesus  as  a  deceiver  and  hypocrite" — if  "it  destroys 
all  the  attributes  of  God  at  once,  and  represents  him 
as  worse  than  the  devil,  more  false,  more  cruel,  more 
unjust" — if,  in  short,  "it  is  the  direct  antidote  of 
heart  holiness,  and  has  done  more  toward  stopping 
this  work  of  God  than  all  the  devices  of  Satan  for 
fifty  years,"  its  effects  on  those  who  embrace  it  and  on 
the  communities  where  they  live,  will  be  to  make 
them  like  the  being  whom  they  worship,  "  worse  than 
the  devil."  Let  us  see.  "From  the  earliest  ages," 
says  the  British  Encyclopedia,  in  an  article  written 
by  no  Calvinist,  "they  (Calvinists)  have  excelled  in 
no  small  degree,  in  the  practice  of  the  most  rigid  and 
respectable  virtues,  and  have  been  the  highest  honour 
to  their  own  age,  and  the  best  models  for  imitation  in 
any  age." 

Let  us  now  see,  if  this  general  statement  is  not 
true. 

It  will  not  be  denied  that  Augustine,  Bishop  of 
Hippo,  who  lived  in  the  latter  part  of  the  fourth,  and 
the  beginning  of  the  fifth  centuries,  held  the  doctrine 


220  DOES  NOT  DESTROY 

of  divine  foreordination,  and  its  kindred  doctrines, 
DOW  called  Calvinistic.  That  his  labours  and  writings, 
more  than  those  of  any  other  man  in  the  age  in  which 
he  lived,  contributed  to  promote  sound  doctrine,  and 
the  revival  of  true  religion,  no  candid  man  acquainted 
with  the  history  of  the  Church  will  deny.  In  his  day 
the  Pelagian  heresy  arose,  and  threatened  to  spread 
its  withering  influence  over  the  Church.  "To  him," 
says  the  learned  Mosheim,  "is  principally  due  the 
glory  of  having  suppressed  this  sect  in  its  birth."  In 
the  midst  of  this  controversy,  Augustine  delivered  his 
views  on  "the  necessity  of  divine  grace,  in  order  to 
our  salvation,  and  the  decrees  of  God  with  respect  to 
the  future  condition  of  men."  Shortly  after  this, 
when  certain  Monks  advanced  the  doctrine  so  often 
charged  upon  Calvinists,  "that  God  not  only  predes- 
tinated the  wicked  to  eternal  punishment,  but  also  to 
the  guilt  and  transgression  for  which  they  are 
punished,  and  that  thus  both  the  good  and  the  bad 
actions  of  all  men  were  determined  from  eternity, 
and  fixed  by  an  invincible  necessity,"  Augustine 
made  as  decided  opposition  to  this  doctrine  as  to 
Pelagianism,  "and  explained  his  true  sentiments  with 
more  perspicuity,  that  it  might  not  be  attributed  to 
him."*  The  same  historian,  who  was  not  a  Calvinist, 
says — "The  fame  of  Augustine  filled  the  whole 
Christian  world ;  and  not  without  reason,  as  a  variety 
of  great  and  shining  qualities  were  united  in  the 
character  of  that  illustrious  man.  A  sublime  genius, 
an  uninterrupted  and  zealous  pursuit  of  truth,  an 
indefatigable  application,  and  invincible  patience,  a 
sincere  piety,  and  a  subtle  and  lively  wit  conspired  to 
establish  his  fame  upon  the  most  lasting  founda- 
tion."t 

" The  youth  of  Augustine,"  says  Gibbon,  "had  been 

*  Church  History,  Vol.  I.  Part  II.  p.  372.  f  Ibid.  p.  380.  . 


HOLINESS,   GOOD   WORKS,   ETC.  221 

stained  by  vices  and  errors  which  he  so  ingenuously 
confesses ;  but  from  the  moment  of  his  conversion,  to 
that  of  his  death,  the  manners  of  the  Bishop  of  Hip- 
po were  pure  and  austere."* 

It  is  true,  the  testimony  of  Mr.  Wesley  is  at  first 
the  opposite  of  these,  but  in  the  end  he  fully  sustains 
what  has  been  advanced.  "I  would  not  affirm,"  says 
he,  "that  the  arch  heretic  of  the  fifth  century  (as 
plentifully  as  he  has  been  bespattered  for  many  ages,) 
was  not  one  of  the  holiest  men  of  that  age,  not 
excepting  St.  Augustine  himself  (a  wonderful  saint! 
as  full  of  pride,  passion,  bitterness,  censoriousness, 
and  as  foul-mouthed  to  all  that  contradicted  him,  as 
George  Fox  himself.") 'But  St.  Augus- 
tine says:' — When  Augustine's  passions  were  heated, 
his  word  is  not  worth  a  rush.  And  here  is  the  secret. 
St.  Augustine  was  angry  at  Pelagius.  Hence  he 
slandered  and  abused  him  (as  his  manner  was)  with- 
out fear  or  shame.  And  St.  Augustine  was  then  in  . 
the  Christian  world,  what  Aristotle  was  afterwards. 
There  needed  no  other  proof  of  any  assertion,  than 
'  St.  Augustine  said  it.'  "f  If  then  "Augustine  was  in 
the  Christian  world,  what  Aristotle  was  afterwards," 
and  the  confidence  reposed  in  him  such,  that  "there 
needed  no  other  proof  of  any  assertion,  than  that 
Augustine  said  it,"  is  it  not  far  more  probable  that 
the  word  of  Mr.  Wesley  is  not  worth  a  rush,  than 
that  of  St.  Augustine  ? 

Among  the  earlier  believers  in  the  Calvinistic  doc- 
trine, were  those  eminent  and  honoured  witnesses  for 
the  truth,  the  Waldenses,  and  Albigenses.  In  one  of 
their  creeds,  containing  a  brief  summary  of  their 
faith,  "which"  say  they  "hath  been  taught  us,  from 
the  father  to  the  son,  for  these  many  hundred  years, 

*  Decline  and  Fall  of  the  Roman  Empire,  Chap,  xxsiii. 
f  Sermon  on  the  Wisdom  of  God's  Counsels. 

19* 


222  DOES   NOT   DESTROY 

and  taken  out  of  the  word  of  God,"  the  second 
article  is  as  follows,  viz.  "All  that  have  been,  or 
shall  be  saved,  have  been  chosen  of  God  before  all 
worlds."  The' fourth  article  reads  thus,  "Whosoever 
holdeth  free  will"  (that  is,  in  the  Arminian  sense  of 
a  self-determining  power)  "denieth  wholly,  the  pre- 
destination of  God."*  It  is  difficult  to  trace  with 
certainty  these  wonderful  people  to  their  origin ;  but 
it  is  agreed  on  all  hands,  (Papists  excepted)  that  no 
people  have  so  long  and  so  firmly  held  on  to  evangeli- 
cal faith,  and  sound  morality,  against  the  most  pro- 
tracted and  cruel  persecutions.  When  the  glorious 
Reformation  of  the  sixteenth  century  commenced, 
Dr.  Fisk,  of  the  Methodist  Church,  tells  us,  "these 
scattered  adherents  to  the  faith  once  delivered  to  the 
saints,  were  prepared  to  give  aid  and  influence  to  the 
first  general  struggle  that  was  made  to  reform  the 
impurities  of  the  Church. "f 

The  martyrs  of  Protestantism  have  been  almost 
exclusively  drawn  from  the  bosom  of  the  Reformed 
Churches,  rarely  from  the  Arminian  communions.  A 
century  before  Luther  was  born,  John  Huss  was  con- 
signed to  the  flames  by  the  Council  of  Constance,  on 
charge  of  teaching,  among  other  heresies,  the  doctrines 
of  predestination  and  the  perseverance  of  the  saints. 
The  charge  was  clearly  sustained,  for  he  had  written 
in  his  book,  that  "no  part  or  member  of  the  church 
doth  finally  fall  away,  because  the  charity  of  predes- 
tination, which  is  the  bond  and  chain  of  the  same, 
doth  never  fall  away."  Jerome  of  Prague,  having 
avowed  his  faith  in  the  preaching  of  Huss,  was  burned 
on  the  same  spot  by  order  of  the  same  Council.  The 
works  of  John  Wickliff"e  being  found  by  the  Council  to 
contain  similar  doctrines,  his  body,  which   had  lain 

*  Perin's  History  of  the  Waldenses. 
f  Fisk's  Travels,  page  122. 


HOLINESS,   GOOD   WORKS,   ETC.  223 

forty-one  years  in  the  grave  was  dug  up  and  burned. 
As  the  old  historian  writes — "  They  cast  his  ashes 
into  the  Swift,  a  neighbouring  brook,  running  hard 
by;  this  brook  hath  conveyed  his  ashes  into  Avon,' 
Avon  into  Severn,  Severn  into  the  narrow  seas,  they 
into  the  main  Ocean.  And  thus  the  ashes  of  Wick- 
liiFe  are  the  emblem  of  his  doctrine,  which  now  is  dis- 
persed all  the  world  over."* 

But  surely  if  the  irreligious  and  the  demoralizing 
effects  of  Calvinism  have  existed  anywhere,  we 
would  expect  to  find  them  prominent  in  John  Calvin, 
John  Knox,  and  the  places  where  these  uncom- 
promising advocates  of  that  doctrine  respectively 
laboured. 

"John  Calvin,"  Mr.  Wesley  says,  "was  a  pious, 
learned,  and  sensible  man,"  and  "a  great  instrument 
of  God."t 

What !  a  man,  pious,  "  and  a  great  instrument  of 
God,"  whose  doctrine,  more  than  "any  other  device 
of  Satan  for  fifty  years,  tended  to  destroy  holiness,  hap- 
piness, good  works,"  and  to  overthrow  the  whole  Chris- 
tian revelation — who  "represents  our  blessed  Lord 
Jesus  Christ  as  a  hypocrite,  a  deceiver  of  the  people," 
"  void  of  common  sincerity" — "  destroys  all  the  at- 
tributes of  God  at  once,  and  represents  him  as  worse 
than  the  devil,  more  false,  more  cruel,  more  unjust." 
Verily,  if  the  position  laid  down  be  true,  the  testi- 
mony is  false,  or  if  the  testimony  be  true,  the  position 
is  false,  for  they  are  directly  opposite.  "  After  the 
holy  Scriptures,"  says  Arminius,  "  I  exhort  the  stu- 
dents to  read  the  commentaries  of  Calvin,  for  I  tell 
them  that  he  is  incomparable  in  the  interpretation  of 
Scripture,  and  that  his  commentaries  ought  to  be 
held  in  greater  veneration  than  all  that  is  delivered 

*  Dr.  Humphrey's  Sermon. 

f  Miscellaneous  Works,  Vol.  I.  II.  pp.  546,  475. 


224  DOES  NOT   DESTROY 

to  US  by  the  ancient  Christian  fathers.  So  that  in  an 
eminent  spirit  of  prophecy,  I  give  the  pre-eminence 
to  him  beyond  them  all."* 

"  Geneva,"  says  Dr.  Fisk,  "has  long  been  cele- 
brated for  its  schools  and  eminent  men.  To  have 
produced  a  Calvin  and  a  Beza  is  honour  enough  of 
this  kind  for  one  city."t 

"Calvin,"  says  D'Aubigne,"  "with  the  zeal  of  a 
prophet,  and  the  devotion  of  a  martyr,  who  submits 
himself  unreservedly  to  the  stern  word  of  God, 
exacted  from  the  church  under  his  care  absolute 
obedience  to  her  laws.  He  strove  hand  to  hand 
with  the  libertine  party,  and  by  the  grace  of  God,  he 
remained  the  stronger.  Geneva,  formerly,  so  cor- 
rupt, was  regenerated,  and  displayed  a  purity  of 
manners,  a  Christian  simplicity,  which  drew  from 
Farel,  after  an  absence  of  fifteen  years,  a  shout  of 
admiration,  and  these  remarkable  words,  "I  would 
rather  be  the  last  in  Geneva,  than  the  first  anywhere 
else."  "And  fifty  years  after  Calvin's  death,  adds 
D'Aubigne,  "  Jean  Valentin,  a  fervent  Lutheran, 
having  passed  some  time  within  our  walls,  said  on  his 
return,  "What  I  have  seen,  I  shall  never  forget,  and 
I  shall  ardently  desire  to  retain  it  all  my  life.  The 
fairest  ornament  of  that  republic,  is  its  tribunal  of 
manners,  which  makes  inquiry  every  week  into  the 
disorders  among  the  citizens.  Games  of  cards,  and 
chance,  oaths,  bla^hemies,  impurity,  quarrels,  ha- 
treds, deceits,  infidelities,  drunkenness,  and  other 
vices  are  suppressed.  0 !  but  this  purity  is  a  beauti- 
ful ornament  of  Christianity !  We  (the  Lutherans) 
cannot  shed  tears  enough  over  that  in  which  we  are 
wanting.  If  the  difference  in  doctrine  did  not  with- 
draw me  from   Geneva,  the  harmony  of  its  manners 

*  Calvin  on  Romans,  American  edition,  Preface, 
f  Fisk's  Travels,  page  416. 


HOLINESS,   GOOD   WORKS,   ETC.  225 

■would  have  retained  me  there  for  ever."*  Montes- 
quieu had  reason,  therefore,  to  say  that  "  Geneva 
ought  to  celebrate  with  gratitude  the  day  when 
Calvin  came  within  her  walls."t 

We  will  now  take  a  very  brief  notice  of  John 
Knox  and  Scotland.  To  enter  largely  into  what 
might  be,  and  what  ought  to  be  said  of  the  influence 
of  Calvinism  here,  would  extend  this  chapter  to  too 
great  length.  "  This  that  Knox  did  for  his  nation," 
says  his  illustrious  countryman   Carlyle,  "we   may 

really  call  a  resurrection  as  from  death He 

is  the  one  Scotchman  to  whom,  of  all  others,  his 
country  and  the  world  owe  a  debt.  He  has  to  plead 
that  Scotland  would  forgive  him  for  having  been 
worth  to  it  any  million.  Unblamable  Scotchman 
that  needs  no  forgiveness,"  &c.J 

Next  to  the  doctrine  of  the  atonement,  predestina- 
tion was  the  soul  of  his  religion,  and  has  been  the 
soul  of  the  religion  of  that  country  ever  since.  And 
now  for  sound  learning,  morality,  piety,  and  the 
general  happiness  of  the  people,  Scotland  stands  pre- 
eminent in  Europe.  In  1698  the  population  was 
about  one  million.  Of  that  number,  "one  hundred 
thousand,"  or  one  out  of  ten,  according  to  Fletcher 
of  Saltown,  "were  beggars,  living  without  regard  to 
the  laws  of  God — murder  and  every  species  of  dis- 
order, vice,  and  crime,  being  common  among  them. 
Yet  so  great  was  the  change  wrought  among  them 
chiefly  by  Calvinistic  religious  instruction,  that  at 
the  autumn  courts  in  1757  not  a  single  person  was 
found  guilty  of  any  capital  crime.  In  the  time  of 
Howard,  when  the  population  was  1,600,000,  only  34 
persons  were  convicted  of  capital  crimes  in  nineteen 

*  D'Aubigne's  Luther  and  Calvin,  pp.  54,  55. 

f  D'Aubigne's  History  of  the  Reformation,  Vol.  III.  page  320. 

X  Lectures  on  Heroes,  page  235. 


226  DOES   NOT  DESTROY 

years.  The  late  Sir  Henry  Fielding,  of  London, 
says,  "That  during  his  long  administration,  as  one  of 
the  justices  of  Bow  street,  only  six  Scotchmen  were 
brought  before  him  for  trial." 

Mr.  Whitehead  referring  to  the  visit  of  the 
Messrs.  Wesleys  to  Scotland,  says,  "  The  preachers 
met  with  no  riotous  mobs  to  oppose  their  progress  in 
Scotland.  Here,  all  ranks  and  orders  of  the  people, 
from  the  highest  to  the  lowest,  had  long  been  re- 
markable for  a  decent  regard  to  religion,  and  the 
ministerial  character."* 

Dr.  Chalmers  makes  the  following  most  powerful 
appeal  in  behalf  of  the  moral  effects  of  Calvinistic 
teaching. 

"  How  comes  it,  that  Scotland,  which  of  all  coun- 
tries in  Europe  is  the  most  signalized  by  the  rigid 
Calvinism  of  her  pulpit,  should  also  be  most  signalized 
by  the  moral  glory  that  sits  on  the  aspect  of  her  gen- 
eral population?  How,  in  the  name  of  mystery, 
should  it  happen  that  such  a  theology  as  ours  is  con- 
joined with  perhaps  the  yet  most  unvitiated  peasantry 
among  the  nations  of  Christendom?  The  allegation 
against  our  Churches  is,  that  in  the  argumentation  of 
our  abstract  and  speculative  controversies,  the  people 
are  so  little  schooled  to  the  performance  of  good 
"works.  A.nd  how  is  it,  that  in  our  courts  of  justice, 
when  compared  with  the  calendars  of  our  sister  king- 
dom, there  should  be  so  vastly  less  to  do  with  their 
€vil  works?  It  is  certainly  a  most  important  experi- 
ence, that  in  that  country  where  there  is  the  most 
Calvinism,  there  should  be  the  least  crime — that  what 
may  be  called  the  most  doctrinal  nation  of  Europe, 
should,  at  the  same  time,  be  the  least  depraved,  either 
by  their  weekly  profligacies  or  their  Sabbath  profana- 
tions." 

"This   is   the   peasantry  of  which   Burnet    said, 

*  Life  of  Wesley,  page  216. 


HOLINESS,    GOOD   WORKS,   ETC.  22T 

*they  had  a  comprehension  of  matters  of  religion 
greater  than  I  have  seen  among  people  of  that  sort 
anywhere.'  "* 

We  come  to  notice  next  the  Assembly  of  Westmin- 
ster divines.  If  Calvinism  is  what  the  indictment 
charges,  here  surely  we  will  find  a  body  of  incarnate 
demons.  The  Rev.  Richard  Baxter,  author  of  the 
Saint's  Rest,  may  be  considered  an  impartial  witness, 
as  he  knew  many  of  them  intimately.  "  They  were," 
says  he,  "  men  of  eminent  learning,  godliness,  and 
ministerial  ability,  and  fidelity.  And  being  not  wor- 
thy to  be  one  of  them  myself,  I  may  more  freely  speak 
the  truth  which  I  know,  even  in  the  face  of  malice 
and  envy;  that  as  far  as  I  am  able  to  judge  by  the 
information  of  history,  and  by  any  other  evidences, 
the  Christian  world,  since  the  days  of  the  Apostles, 
has  never  had  a  Synod  of  more  excellent  divines,  than 
this  Synod  and  the  Synod  of  Dort."t 

Let  us  next  hear  from  the  Methodists 

The  Western  Christian  AdvoeatBy  TpuhYished  in  Cin- 
cinnati, Ohio,  is  for  ability  second  to  no  other  in  the 
denomination  it  represents.  In  an  editorial  in  that 
paper  about  the  middle  of  November,  1853,  we  find 
the  following,  viz.  "  We  must  speak  with  profound 
respect  of  the  Westminster  Confession.  It  was  the 
greatest  work  of  its  time,  or  of  any  previous  time,  for 
sound  theological  views,  excepting  always  its  peculiar 
teachings  on  the  five  points;  and  Calvin's  works  as  a 
whole,  are  not  equalled  by  any  divine  of  his  time ; 
even  now,  they  challenge  the  respect  of  the  best  theo- 
logians, erroneous  as  they  are  in  some  respects;  the 
Form  of  Government  of  the  Confession  too,  is  the 
highest  model  as  a  whole,  that  the  Christian  world 
ever  saw,  since  the  Apostles." 

*  Sermon  "On  the  Respect  due  to  Antiquity." 
f  History  of  the  Westminster  Assembly,  page  176. 


228  DOES   NOT   DESTROY 

A  similar  article  may  be  found  in  the  Methodist 
Quarterly^  some  four  or  five  years  ago.  The  sincerity 
of  these  statements  is  evinced  by  the  fact  that  more 
than  one  half  of  the  questions  in  the  Larger  Cate- 
chism of  the  Methodist  Church  are  taken  from  the 
Shorter  Catechism  of  the  Presbyterian  Church.  Sure- 
ly then  these  men  did  not  worship  a  God  worse  than 
the  devil. 

Oliver  Cromwell  was  a  Calvinist.  No  one  ac- 
quainted with  his  history,  but  will  admit  that  in  reli- 
gion, predestination  constituted  a  large  part  of  his 
meat  and  his  drink.  The  same  is  true  of  his  army 
also.  But  what  was  the  character  of  that  army? 
Hear  the  historian  Macaulay,  himself  an  Episcopalian. 
"  That  which  chiefly  distinguished  the  army  of  Crom- 
well from  other  armies,  was  the  stern  morality  and 
fear  of  God,  which  pervaded  all  ranks.  It  is  acknow- 
ledged by  the  most  zealous  royalists,  that  in  that 
single  camp,  no  oath  was  heard,  no  drunkenness  or 
gambling  was  seen,  and  that  during  the  long  dominion 
of  the  soldiery,  the  property  of  the  peaceable  citizen 
and  the  honour  of  women  were  held  sacred.  .  .  .  No 
servant  girl  complained  of  the  rough  gallantry  of  the 
red  coats,  not  an  ounce  of  plate  was  taken  from  the 
shops  of  the  goldsmiths."* 

The  Rev.  J.  Jones  of  Nayland,  an  Episcopal  Min- 
ister, and  by  no  means  favourable  to  the  Puritans, 
speaking  of  Puritanism  during  the  reign  of  Charles  I. 
says:  "  The  reformation  of  manners  was  remarkable 
— the  laws  against  vice  and  profaneness  were  so  strict, 
and  so  rigorously  put  in  execution,  that  vice  was 
forced  to  hide  itself  in  corners.  There  was  not  a  play 
acted  in  any  theatre  in  England  for  about  twenty 
years.  Profane  swearing,  drunkenness,  or  any  kind 
of  debauchery  were  not  heard  or  seen  on  the  streets. 

*  History  of  England,  Vol.  I.  page  114. 


HOLINESS,    GOOD  WORKS,    ETC.  229 

The  Lord's  day  was  observed  with  unusual  rever- 
ence,"* &c.  The  same  is  admitted  by  the  Edinburgh 
Review,  1841,  where  a  sketch  is  given  of  the  morals 
in  England  in  a  Calvinistic  and  an  Arminian  period, 
much  to  the  advantage  of  the  former. 

Mr.  Wesley  in  his  sermon  on  the  Trinity  asks, 
"  Who  will  dare  to  affirm  that  none  of  the  assertors 
of  absolute  predestination  are  truly  religious  men? 
Not  only  many  of  them  in  the  last  century  were  burn- 
ing and  shining  lights,  but  many  of  them  are  now  real 
Christians,  loving  God  and  all  mankind." 

Mr.  Watson  says,  "  It  (Calvinism)  has  mustered 
among  its  votaries  many  venerable  names,  and  many 
devoted  and  holy  men,  whose  writings  often  rank 
among  the  brightest  lights  of  scriptural  criticism  and 
practical  divinity."t 

"  The  cause  of  morals  and  good  order  has  always 
found  them  (the  Presbyterians)  the  first  to  aid,  and 
among  the  last  to  retire  from  its  support."| 

In  1842  there  appeared  a  letter  in  a  religious 
paper  against  the  Calvinists.  A  Mr.  C.  Adams,  of 
Lynn,  a  member  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal  Church, 
wrote  to  the  editor  in  April  30th  of  that  year, 
among  other  things  as  follows:  "You,  Mr.  Editor, 
should  not  forget  that  among  them  (Calvinists)  are 
some  of  the  greatest  Christian  and  biblical  scholars 
now  upon  the  stage — that  among  them,  too,  are  large 
numbers  of  able,  devoted,  and  excellent  ministers,  at 
whose  feet  you  and  myself  would  delight  to  sit  and 
receive  instruction. "§ 

The  Rev.  R.  S.  Foster,  of  the  Ohio  Annual  Con- 
ference, has  written  the  most  sophistical,  unjust, 
heated,  and  wicked  book  against   the  Calvinists,  that 

*  Presbyterian  Banner,  Nov.  5th,  1853. 
f  Theological  Institutes,  Part  II.  Chap,  xxviii. 
j  Western  Christian  Advocate,  of  December  1841, 
I  Watchman  of  the  South,  of  1842. 
20 


230  DOES   NOT   DESTROY 

has  come  under  the  writer's  notice.  Yet  when  speak- 
ing of  the  Presbyterian  Church,  he  says,  "Among 
her  ministers  are  some  dear  to  me  as  my  own 
brothers.  In  despite  of  her  errors,  I  here  record 
-my  firm  persuasion  that  she  has  many  surpassing 
excellencies — many  which  my  own  Church  may  well 
and  wisely  emulate."* 

There  is  published  in  the  proceedings  of  a  late 
meeting  of  the  Alumni  and  friends  of  Washington 
College,  Pennsylvania,  a  letter  from  the  Hon.  Henry 
A.  Wise,  adrlressed  to  a  committee  of  the  College, 
which  had  invited  him  to  be  present  on  the  occasion. 
From  this  letter  we  make  an  extract,  to  show  that 
the  aim  of  Presbyterians  is  to  diffuse  around  all 
their  institutions  the  same  healthful  moral  atmos- 
phere which  Mr.  Wise  so  highly  commends,  when 
he  speaks  of  his  Alma  Mater,  in  1854: 

"  Thirty-one  years  ago  last  October,  before  I  had 
reached  the  age  of  twenty  years,  I  went  to  Washing- 
ton, and  entered  the  Sophomore  Class  in  College,  a 
wild  Virginia  youth,  not  '  free  frae  monie  a  blunder 
and  foolish  notion.'  To  me,  a  stranger,  indeed,  it 
was  a  'strange  land' — unlike  any  other  I  had  ever 
seen  before.  The  whole  community,  I  found,  was 
without  exception  almost  a  part  of  the  College,  and 
of  the  Church.  Every  man,  woman,  and  child,  was 
a  moral  presence  in  aid  of  police. 

"  There  was  a  moral  suasion  in  the  whole  atmos- 
phere of  the  place,  and  in  the  whole  countenance 
there.  Preaching,  and  prayer,  and  monition  met  me 
every  moment,  at  every  turn.  There  was  a  more 
omnipresent  eye  of  Christian  watchfulness,  a  more 
constant  frown  on  the  social  countenance  against 
vice,  than  I  have  ever  seen  or  ever  felt  elsewhere  or 
since.     It  was  not  College  discipline  which  restrained 

*  Objections  to  Calvinism,  page  16. 


HOLINESS,   GOOD   WORKS,   ETC.  231 

US.  That  was  parental,  mild,  indulgent,  trusting  to 
honour,  and  integrity  and  truth.  You  might,  for 
aught  of  punishment  or  prevention  by  Professors, 
transgress,  and  yet  you  dare  not.  It  did  not  seem 
to  be  natural  there  as  at  other  places — it  was  not 
fashionable — you  had  no  companions,  no  sympathy, 
no  eclat.  In  three  years  I  saw  but  two  students  who 
kept  each  other  company  in  any  sort  of  dissipation, 
and  for  them  there  was  no  hiding-place.  Poor  fel- 
lows! dear  friends  of  mine,  one  of  them  came  out 
from  the  President's  room  one  day,  weeping,  and 
saying :  '  0,  this  I  cannot  bear — his  cane  I  could 
bear — if  he  would  only  cudgel  me  I  could  endure  it; 
but  I  cannot  bear  his  love,  like  that  of  a  father,  and 
the  pain  which  I  see  I  inflict  on  him!'  It  was  divine 
chastening,  that.  And  such  was  the  discipline  in 
and  out  of  the  halls  of  Washington  Colleoje." 

If  then,  such  be  the  fruit  which,  according  to  the 
testimony  of  Arminians  themselves,  Calvinism  has 
borne,  the  tree  must  be  good,  for  "  a  corrupt  tree 
cannot  bring  forth  good  fruit."     Mat.  vii.  17. 

If  again,  it  is  a  sound  principle,  that  when  the 
testimony  flatly  contradicted  every  part  of  an  indict- 
ment, the  indictment  is  false;  it  ought  to  be  with- 
drawn, therefore,  on  the  testimony  of  those  who 
make  it.  The  testimony  in  this  case,  however,  is 
just  what  the  Scriptures  lead  us  to  expect.  For  if 
the  people  of  God  are  "  predestinated  to  be  con- 
formed to  the  image  of  his  Son,"  Rom.  viii.  29,  how 
can  they  have  a  "worse  image  than  the  devil?" 
If  again,  "  he  hath  chosen  us  in  Christ,  that  we 
should  be  holy,  and  without  blame  before  him  in 
love,"  Eph.  i.  14;  how  is  it  possible  that  the 
doctrine  which  teaches  this,  can  be  the  "  direct 
antidote  to  heart-holiness,  and  do  more  than  aTl  the 
devices  of  Satan  for  fifty  years  to  stop  the  work  of 
God?" 


232  ARMINIANISM,   ITS   FRUIT. 

Finally :  If  "  God  hath  from  the  beginning  chosen 
his  people  through  sanctification  of  the  Spirit  and 
belief  of  the  truth,"  2  Thess.  ii.  13,  and  "created 
them  in  Christ  Jesus  unto  good  works,"  Eph.  ii.  10, 
it  would  be  the  strangest  thing  under  the  sun,  for 
those  thus  favoured,  to  be  engaged  in  what  has  a 
tendency  "  to  overthrow  the  whole  Christian  revela- 
tion," or  to  "represent  our  blessed  Lord  Jesus 
Christ,  as  a  hypocrite,  a  deceiver  of  the  people,  and 
destitute  of  common  sincerity."  On  the  contrary, 
the  Church  that  maintains  that  doctrine  is  the  very 
one  which  might  be  expected  to  have  "  many  surpass- 
ing excellencies,  which  others  may  well  and  wisely 
emulate." 

Having  shown  that  the  charge  of  an  unholy 
tendency  in  Calvinism  is  not  true,  we  will  inquire 
next,  whether  Arminianism  is  "  without  spot  or  blem- 
ish, or  any  such  thing." 

The  historian  Macaulay,  referring  to  the  time 
when  Archbishop  Laud  flourished,  says,  a  divine  of 
that  age,  being  asked  by  a  simple  country  gentleman, 
"  What  the  Arminians  held,"  answered  with  as  much 
truth  as  wit,  "All  the  best  Bishoprics  and  Deaconries 
of  England."* 

The  same  historian,  referring  to  the  same  period, 
says,  "  These  were  days  never  to  be  recalled  without 
a  blush ;  the  days  of  servitude  without  loyalty,  and 
of  sensuality  without  love." 

But  we  will  pass  over  much  that  might  be  said 
here,  and  come  down  to  the  days  of  Mr.  Wesley. 
That  we  may  have  the  true  state  of  matters  fairly 
before  us,  we  will  notice  in  the  outset  the  characters 
of  many  of  the  preachers  whom  he  appointed  and 
continued  in  ofiice,  that  in  conjunction  with  himself 
they  might  root  out  Calvinism,  reform  the  Church, 
&c.     Here  it  is  important  to  observe,  that  from  the 

*  History  of  England,  Vol.  II.  p.  74. 


ARMINIANISM,   ITS   FRUIT.  233 

first  formation  of  Methodist  societies  in  England, 
until  Mr.  Wesley's  death,  except  for  a  short  interval, 
he  claimed  and  exercised  exclusively,  the  power  of 
appointing  and  controlling  the  preachers.  Thus  says 
Mr.  Wesley :  "  After  my  return  from  Greorgia,  many 
were  both  awakened  and  converted  to  God.  One 
and  another,  and  another,  of  these,  desired  to  join 
with  me  as  sons  in  the  gospel,  to  be  directed  by  me. 
I  drew  up  a  few  plain  rules,  (observe,  there  was  no 
conference  in  being !)  and  permitted  them  to  join  me 
on  these  conditions.  Whoever,  therefore,  violates 
these  conditions,  particularly  that  of  being  directed 
by  me,  in  the  work,  does,  ipso  facto^  disjoin  himself 
from  me."  "  They  have  a  right  to  disjoin  themselves 
from  me,  whenever  they  please,  but  they  cannot,  in 
the  nature  of  things,  join  with  me  any  longer  than 
they  are  directed  by  me."  "As  long  as  I  remain 
with  them,  the  fundamental  plan  of  Methodism 
remains  inviolate.  As  long  as  any  preacher  joins 
with  me,  he  is  to  be  directed  by  me  in  his  work."* 

Again,  referring  to  a  particular  occasion,  Mr.  Wes- 
ley says,  "I  read  in  the  society  a  paper,  which  I 
wrote  twenty  years  ago.  Herein  I  observed  that  the 
rules  of  our  preachers  were  fixed  by  me,  before  any 
Conference  existed,  particularly  the  twelfth,  viz. 
"  Above  all  things,  you  are  to  preach  when  and 
where  I  appoint."! 

It  is  true,  Mr.  Wesley  "  was  prevailed  upon  with 
some  difficulty"  to  share  this  power  with  his  brother 
Charles,  but  as  the  former  "seemed  determined  to  be 
Caesar  or  nothing,  the  latter  perceiving  his  brother's 
determination,  and  finding  that  the  preachers  became 
more  prejudiced  against  him,  thought  it  most  prudent 
to  withdraw."! 

*  Whiteliead's  Life  of  Wesley,  page  232. 

t  Ibid,  page  231.  %  Ibid,  page  167. 

20* 


234  ARMINIANISM,  ITS   FRUIT. 

Mr.  Whitehead  farther  informs  us,  "  that  during  the 
time  Mr.  Wesley,  strictly  and  properly  speaking, 
governed  the  societies,  his  power  was  absolute ;" 
that  "there  were  no  rights  or  privileges;  no  offices 
of  power  or  influence,  but  what  were  created,  or 
sanctioned  by  him ;  nor  could  any  person  hold  them, 
but  during  his  pleasure;"  that  "  the  whole  system 
of  Methodism,  like  a  great  and  complicated  machine, 
was  formed  under  his  direction,  and  his  will  gave 
motion  to  all  parts,  and  turned  it  this  way  or  that, 
as  he  thought  proper;"  that  "his  influence,  like  a 
mighty  torrent,  gathered  strength  in  its  progress  at 
every  intermediate  step  between  him  and  the  people.* 

Here  then,  we  see  Mr.  Wesley  clothed  with,  and 
exercising,  as  complete  and  absolute  spiritual  power 
over  the  ministers  and  members  under  his  care,  as  was 
ever  claimed  and  exercised  by  man.  This  is  not  sur- 
prising of  one  whose  biographers  tell  us  he  thought 
that  "in  the  honour  due  to  Moses,  he  also  had  a  share, 
being  placed  at  the  head  of  a  great  people,  by  Him 
who  had  called  them,"  and  that  "Methodism  is  the 
only  religion  worthy  of  God."f 

Let  us  inquire  next,  who  were  the  preachers  select- 
ed by  Mr.  Wesley.  The  first  I  shall  notice,  is  the 
Rev.  Miss  Mary  Bosanquet.  Frequent  mention  is 
made  of  her  preaching,  in  the  life  of  Mrs.  Fletcher,  and 
once  in  the  open  air,  to  a  congregation  of  "between 
two  and  three  thousand  people."  (See  page  134.) 
Now  as  she  tells  us,  page  138,  that  she  "did  nothing 
but  what  Mr.  Wesley  approved,"    and  as   the   sole 

*  Whiteliead's  Life  of  Wesley,  page  292. 

f  Hampson's  Life  of  Wesley,  Vol.  III.  pp.  30,  35.  Coke's  Life 
of  Wesley,  p.  520.  For  these  quotations  and  references,  see  "Magee 
on  the  Atonement,"  page  98.  If  the  reader  desires  to  know  how 
Mr.  Wesley  managed,  in  the  first  creed  he  made  for  his  followers, 
to  prevent  some  portions  of  the  Scriptures,  and  some  Articles  of  the 
Church  of  England  from  conflicting  with  his  peculiar  views,  he  is 
referred  to  the  same  author,  page  100. 


ARMINIANISM,  ITS   FRUIT.  235 

power  of  appointing  the  preachers  was  with  Mr.  Wes- 
ley, she  must  have  received  her  appointment  from 
him.  We  have  thus  early,  notice  of  female  preachers 
in  the  Methodist  church.  Whether  they  have  been 
numerous  at  any  time,  the  writer  does  not  know. 
They  have  however,  occasionally  appeared  in  that 
denomination,  till  as  late  as  1830,  and  possibly  later. 
It  is  true  female  preachers  are  not  mentioned  among 
the  twelve  Apostles  of  our  Lord,  Matt.  x.  3,  4'; 
nor  among  the  seventy,  whom  he  also  sent  out,  Luke 
X.  1 ;  nor  in  the  Presbytery  that  ordained  Paul  and 
Barnabas,  Acts  xiii.  1 — 4.  It  is  also  true,  that 
Paul  says  expressly,  "Let  your  women  keep  silence 
in  the  churches;"  "for  it  is  a  shame  for  women 
to  speak  in  the  church,"  &c.  1  Cor.  xiv.  34,  35. 
And  it  is  farther  true,  that  he  enjoined  Timothy 
to  commit  the  ministry  to  men.  2  Tim.  ii.  2.  But 
it  is  to  be  remembered  that  Mr.  Wesley  undertook  to 
introduce  a  new  order,  and  assert  "woman's  rights." 

As  to  the  character  of  the  preachers,  let  us  hear 
Mr.  Whitehead. 

"  Mr.  Wesley  knew  the  views,  the  opinions,  and 
jealousies  of  the  preachers  concerning  each  other, 
better  than  any  other  individual  could  possibly  know 
them.  He  had  persons  in  all  places,  who  continually 
informed  him  of  everything  of  importance  that  was 
said  or  done.  From  the  beginning  he  had  stood  at  the 
head  of  the  connection,  and  by  general  suffrage  had 
acted  as  dictator  in  matters  relating  to  the  govern- 
ment of  the  societies.  He  had  often  found  that  all 
his  authority  was  barely  sufficient  to  preserve  peace, 
and  the  mere  external  appearance  of  unanimity,  and 
therefore  concluded  that  if  his  authority  were  to  cease, 
or  not  to  be  transferred  to  another,  at  his  death,  the 
preachers  and  people  would  fall  into  confusion."* 

Here  truly  we  have  a  state  of  things  bad  enough, 

*  Life  of  Wesley,  page  217. 


236  ARMINIANISM,   ITS   FRUIT. 

especially  for  those  who  had  undertaken  to  teach  the 
people  "a  better  way." 

1.  We  have  the  preachers  so  given  to  "jealousy," 
and  jangling,  that  Mr.  Wesley  found  it  necessary  to 
"have  in  all  places"  a  police  as  watchful  as  Napo- 
leon had  in  Paris  in  the  most  troublous  times. 

2.  But  notwithstanding  all  this  vigilance,  "he  often 
found  all  his  authority  barely  sufficient  to  preserve 
peace,  and  the  mere  external  appearance  of  unanim- 
ity." It  is  not  to  be  wondered  at  therefore,  that  "he 
feared  lest  at  his  death  the  preachers  and  people 
would  fall  into  confusion."  Nor  was  he  alone  in  that 
opinion  ;  for  Mr.  Whitehead,  speaking  of  Mr.  Fletch- 
er, whom  Mr.  Wesley  had  invited  to  succeed  him,  says, 
"  He  well  knew  the  embarrassment  Mr.  Wesley  had 
met  with  in  the  government  of  the  preachers,  though 
he  alone,  under  the  providence  of  God,  had  given 
existence  to  their  present  character,  influence  and 
usefulness.  He  was  also  well  acquainted  with  the 
mutual  jealousies  the  preachers  had  of  each  other,  and 
with  their  jarring  interests;  but  above  all,  with  the 
general  determination  that  prevailed  among  them  not 
to  be  under  the  control  of  any  one  man  after  the 
death  of  Mr.  Wesley.  Under  these  circumstances, 
he  saw  nothing  before  him  but  darkness,  storms,  and 
tempests,  with  the  most  threatening  dangers,  especial- 
ly if  he  should  be  left  alone  in  the  office.  He  there- 
fore determined  not  to  launch  his  little  bark  on  so 
tempestuous  an  ocean."* 

Thus  far,  the  "jealousies  and  jarring  interests"  of 
these  brethren,  have  been  confined  to  themselves. 
The  question  naturally  arises,  Did  it  extend  farther? 
On  this  subject  Mr.  Whitehead  says,  "I  am  sorry  to 
confess  that  there  are  men  among  the  preachers,  of  a 
most  violent  ungovernable  spirit.     These  if  they  find 

f  Life  of  Wesley,  page  217. 


ARMINIANISM,   ITS  FRUIT.  237 

it  necessary  for  any  particular  purpose  to  oppose  an 
individual,  or  any  number  of  individuals  of  character 
and  influence  in  the  society,  use  every  method  in  their 
power,  both  in  the  pulpit  and  out,  to  make  him  ap- 
pear to  the  pe<J])le  as  bad  as  the  devil.  Invention  is 
on  the  rack  to  put  the  worst  construction  possible  on 
everything  he  may  say  or  do.  Nay,  they  attribute 
many  things  to  him,  the  very  thought  of  which  never 
entered  his  heart,  till  he  found  himself  accused  of 
them."* 

But  let  us  hear  Mr.  Whitehead  again.  Speaking 
of  the  state  of  things  that  followed  the  death  of  Mr. 
Wesley,  he  says,  "I  readily  acknowledge  that  his  ab- 
solute and  unlimited  power  has  in  its  consequences 
since  his  death,  been  a  great  injury  to  the  societies. 
It  has  been  the  parent  of  a  system  of  government 
highly  oppressive  to  many  individuals,  and  much  more 
injurious  to  the  rights  of  the  people  than  his  own. 
He  constantly  acted  as  a  middle  person  between  the 
preachers  and  the  people,  the  poor  as  well  as  the 
rich,  against  any  insult  or  oppression  they  might  re- 
ceive. At  present,  the  preachers  claim  unlimited 
powers,  both  to  make  laws  and  to  execute  them,  by 
themselves  or  their  deputies,  without  any  intermediate 
authority  to  act  as  a  check  in  favour  of  the  people. 
But  what  is  much  worse  than  all  the  rest,  the  present 
system  of  government  among  the  Methodists  requires 
such  acts  of  human  policy  and  chicanery  to  carry  it 
on,  as  in  my  opinion  are  totally  inconsistent  with  the 
openness  of  gospel  simplicity."t 

We  have  now  seen  something  of  the  character  of  the 
preachers.  As  then,  ministers  of  religion  are  the 
principal  means  of  conveying  to  the  people  the  spir- 
itual nourishment  by  which  they  live,  and  the  princi- 
ples by  which  they  are  guided,  if  the  adage  "like 

*  Life  of  Wesley,  page  230.  f  I^i^-  PP-  293,  294. 


238  ARMINIANISM,   ITS   FRUIT. 

priest,  like  people"  be  correct,  we  naturally  expect 
the  state  of  things  among  the  people  to  have  been 
bad  enough.  Let  us  see.  In  Mr.  Wesley's  Works, 
Vol.  V.  page  213,  we  find  the  following,  viz. 

"  The  world  say  the  Methodists  are  no  better  than 
other  people.  This  is  not  true,  but  it  is  nearer  the 
truth  than  we  are  willing  to  believe.  For,  1,  Personal 
religion,  either  toward  God  or  man,  is  amazingly  su- 
perficial among  us.  I  can  but  just  touch  on  a  few 
generals.  How  little  faith  is  there  among  us  !  How 
little  communion  with  God!  .  .  .  How  much  love  of 
the  world !  desire  of  pleasure,  of  ease,  of  getting 
money!  How  little  brotherly  love!  What  continued 
judging  one  another.  What  gossiping,  evil  speaking 
— tale  bearing!  What  want  of  moral  honesty.  .  .  . 
Family  religion  is  shamefully  wanting  in  almost  every 
branch,"  &c. 

If  then  by  "touching"  only  "on  a  few  generals," 
Mr.  Wesley  who  "knew  everything  of  importance 
that  was  either  said  or  done"  among  the  brethren, 
could  say  so  much,  "personal  religion  either  toward 
God  or  man,"  and  "moral  honesty"  must  have  been 
"amazingly  superficial"  indeed!     Again, 

Question  13.  "Do  not  Sabbath  breaking,  dram 
drinking,  evil  speaking,  .  .  .  and  contracting  of  debts 
without  due  care  to  discharge  them,  still  prevail  in 
several  places?     How  may  these  evils  be  remedied?" 

Answer  2.  "Read  in  every  society,  the  sermon  on 
Evil  Speaking.  3.  Let  the  leaders  closely  examine 
and  exhort  every  person  to  put  away  the  accursed 
thing.  4.  Let  the  preachers  warn  every  society  that 
none  who  is  guilty  herein  can  remain  with  us.  5.  Ex- 
tirpate smuggling,  buying  uncustomed  goods,  out  of 

every  society 6.  Extirpate  bribery,  receiving 

anything  directly  or  indirectly,  for  voting  in  any 
election."* 

*  Wliitehead's  Life  of  Wesley,  pp.  196,  197. 


.    AKMINIANISM,    ITS   FRUIT.  239 

Surely  then,  if  "Sabbath  breaking,"  "dram  drink- 
ing," "evil  speaking,"  "contracting  debts  without  due 
care  to  discharge  thera,"  "smuggling"  and  "bribery" 
80  prevailed  among  the  societies  under  Mr.  Wesley's 
care,  as  to  require  the  above  action  of  the  Conference, 
"the  world"  had  reason  to  say  "the  Methodists  are 
no  better  than  other  people." 

But  again.  "There  were  times,"  says  Southey, 
"when  Mr.  Wesley  perceived  and  acknowledged  how 
little  real  reformation  had  been  made  in  the  great 
body  of  his  followers."  "Might  I  not  have  expected," 
said  he,  "  a  general  increase  of  faith,  and  love,  of 
righteousness  and  holiness,  yea,  and  of  the  fruits  of 
the  spirit,  love,  joy,  peace,  long-suffering,  meekness, 
gentleness,  fidelity,  goodness,  temperance?  Truly, 
when  I  saw  what  God  had  done  among  his  people 
forty  or  fifty  years  ago;  when  I  saw  them  warm  in 
their  first  love,  magnifying  the  Lord,  and  rejoicing  in 
God  their  Saviour,  I  could  expect  nothing  less  than 
that  all  these  would  have  lived  like  angels,  here  be- 
low ;  that  they  would  have  walked  as  continually 
seeing  him  who  is  invisible,  having  constant  commu- 
nion with  the  Father  and  with  the  Son, — living  in 
eternity,  and  walking  in  eternity.  I  looked  to  see  a 
chosen  generation,  a  royal  priesthood,  a  holy  nation, 
a  peculiar  people,  in  the  whole  tenor  of  their  conver- 
sation showing  forth  His  praise  who  had  called  them 
into  his  marvellous  light.  But  instead  of  this,  it 
brought  forth  error  in  ten  thousand  shapes.  It 
brought  forth  enthusiasm,  imaginary  inspiration,  as- 
cribing to  the  all-wise  God,  all  the  wild,  absurd,  self- 
inconsistent  dreams  of  a  heated  imagination.  It 
brought  forth  pride,  prejudice,  evil  surmising,  censori- 
ousness,  judging  and  condemning  one  another,  all 
totally  subversive  of  brotherly  love,  which  is  the  very 
badge  of  the  Christian  profession,  without  which  who- 
soever liveth  is  counted  dead  before  God.     It  brought 


240  ARMINIANTSM,   ITS  FRUIT.  ^ 

forth  anger,  hatred,  malice,  revenge,  and  every  evil 
word  and  work,  all  direful  fruits,  not  of  the  Holy 
Spirit,  but  of  the  bottomless  pit.  It  brought  forth 
such  base  grovelling  affections,  such  deep  earthly 
mindedness,  as  that  of  the  poor  heathens,  which  occa- 
sioned the  lamentation  of  one  of  their  own  poets  over 
them : 

*  0  souls  bowed  down  to  earth,  and  void  of  God.' 

And  he  repeated  from  the  pulpit  a  remark  made 
upon  the  Methodists  by  one  whom  he  calls  a  holy 
man,  viz.  that  'never  was  there  before  a  people  in  the 
Christian  Church  who  had  so  much  of  the  power  of 
God  among  them,  with  so  little  self-denial.'  "* 

Such  then  is  a  summary  of  the  fruits  of  Arminian- 
ism,  during  the  life,  and  under  the  guidance  of  the 
prince  of  Arminians,  as  given  by  that  prince  himself. 
How  an  enemy  could  have  added  any  thing  to  make 
it  darker,  is  not  easy  to  imagine.  All  that  remains 
under  this  head  is,  that  we  present  to  the  reader  what 
Arminians  say  of  themselves  at  the  present  time. 

In  the  Articles  of  Religion,  and  Discipline  of  the 
Methodist  Episcopal  Church,  we  have  the  following, 
page  58,  viz. 

"  Personal  religion  either  towards  God  or  man,  is 
too  superficial  among  us.  We  can  but  just  touch  on 
a  few  particulars.  How  little  faith  is  there  among  us  ? 
How  little  communion  with  God !  How  much  love  of 
the  world!  Desire  of  pleasure,  of  ease,  of  getting 
money!  How  little  brotherly  love  !  What  continual 
judging  one  another!  What  gossipping,  evil-speak- 
ing, tale-bearing!    What  want  of  moral  honesty,"  &c. 

Thus  published  the  General  Conference  in  1844. 
Now  the  interrogatories — "How  little,"  "How 
much,"  "  What  want,"  at  the  beginning,  with  an  ex- 

t  Southey's  Life  of  Wesley,  Vol.  II.  page  238. 


CLERICAL   POWER   AND   RULE.  241 

clamation  point  at  the  close  of  each  sentence,  can 
allow  them  to  convey  no  other  meaning,  than  that  in 
the  Methodist  Church,  there  is  but  little  "  faith,"  but 
little  "communion  with  God,"  much  "love  of  the 
world" — a  great  "  desire  of  pleasure,  of  ease,  of  get- 
ting money."  But  little  "brotherly  love" — much 
"judging  of  one  another" — much  "gossipping" — 
much  "evil  speaking" — much  "tale  bearing" — a 
great  "  want  of  moral  honesty,"  &c.  If  then  by 
"touching"  only  "on  a  few  particulars"  they  could 
say  so  much,  it  is  evident  that  if  they  had  gone 
into  all  the  "particulars,"  they  would  have  made  out 
an  account  at  the  present  time,  about  as  sad  as  that 
of  Mr.  Wesley.  We  have  before  seen,  what  were  its 
fruits  among  the  preachers  of  that  system;  we  have 
now  seen  what  are  its  fruits  among  the  people.  With 
what  face  then  Mr.  Wesley  could  say  of  Calvinism, 
"  it  is  the  direct  antidote  of  heart-holiness,"  and  "  has 
done  more  than  all  the  devices  of  Satan  for  fifty  years, 
toward  stopping  this  work  of  God,"  &c.  is  not  for  the 
writer  to  say.  By  some  strange  legerdemain,  or  other- 
wise, Mr.  Wesley  and  the  General  Conference  must 
have  substituted  Calvinism  for  Arminianism  in  the  in- 
dictment. 

Having  noticed  incidentally,  a  part  of  what  Dr. 
Whitehead  says,  of  the  power  of  Mr.  Wesley  and  the 
Methodist  clergy  over  the  aflfairs  of  the  Church,  per- 
haps it  may  not  be  amiss  to  extend  our  quotation  a 
little  further  before  we  take  up  another  objection. 

"  His  (Mr.  Wesley's)  influence,  like  a  mighty  tor- 
rent, gathered  strength  in  its  progress,  at  every  in- 
termediate step  between  him  and  the  great  body  of 
the  people.  Let  us  suppose,  for  instance,  that  on 
some  important  matter  which  concerned  all  the  socie- 
ties, or  the  nation  at  large,  Mr.  Wesley  gave  his 
orders  to  the  assistants  dispersed  through  the  three 
kingdoms:  these  would  impress  them  on  the  other 
21 


242  CLERICAL   POWER   AND   RULE. 

itinerants,  in  number  together,  let  us  suppose,  three 
hundred.  With  the  influence  of  this  body,  these  or- 
ders would  pass  on  to  about  twelve  hundred  local 
preachers  in  a  vast  variety  of  situations,  who,  in  con- 
junction with  the  itinerants,  would  impress  them  on 
about  four  thousand  stewards  and  class-leaders;  and 
these,  by  personal  application,  might  in  a  short  time, 
enforce  them  on  about  seventy  thousand  individuals, 
members  of  the  societies.  In  addition  to  this,  we  may 
suppose,  the  itinerant  and  local  preachers,  in  the 
course  of  ten  days  or  a  fortnight,  publicly  address  be- 
tween three  and  four  hundred  thousand  people,  when 
the  same  matter  might  be  further  urged  upon  them. 
Now  what  could  stand  against  such  influence  as  this, 
so  combined,  diff"usive,  and  rapid  in  its  progress,  when 
once  put  in  motion  ?  If  directed  against  any  indi- 
vidual in  the  societies,  whatever  might  be  their  cha- 
racter or  influence,  their  opposition  could  only  be  like 
pebbles  before  a  torrent  rolling  down  the  side  of  a 
mountain;  it  would  be  swept  away  without  being 
perceived."* 

Such  then,  was  the  power  of  Methodism  in  the  days 
of  Wesley,  as  portrayed  by  a  most  intimate  Methodist 
friend,  his  admirer,  and  at  Mr.  Wesley's  request,  his 
biographer.  Now  let  it  be  borne  in  mind,  that  with 
the  exception  that  there  is  not,  as  formerly,  an  arch- 
bishop at  the  head  of  the  whole,  it  has  undergone 
scarcely  any  modification  since — that  the  church 
property  must  all  be  deeded  to  the  Conferences, 
which  Conferences  are  composed  of  preachers  exclu- 
sively, having  church  property  now  under  their  exclu- 
sive control,  to  the  amount  of  millions  of  dollars, 
that  the  church  funds  are  all  under  the  same  control, 
and  we  may  have  some  idea  of  the  clerical  power  of 
Methodism. 

*  Whitehead's  Life  of  Wesley,  pp.  292,  293. 


PREDESTINATION  AN  INCENTIVE  TO  EFFORT.  243 

But  let  US  return  to  the  notice  of  objections 
against  predestination.  Another  is,  that  "it  directly 
tends  to  destroy  our  zeal  for  good  works."*  But 
if  this  be  true,  its  effects  will  surely  be  apparent 
in  the  champions  who  taught  it.  The  reverse  of 
this  however  has  been  shown  to  be  true  of  Augustine 
of  Hippo,  and  it  is  true  of  the  Reformers  generally, 
among  whom  this  doctrine  was  held  in  common.  No 
champions  for  it  however,  stood  so  prominent  among 
them  as  John  Knox,  and  John  Calvin.  The  labours 
of  Knox,  though  in  a  different  sphere,  were  but  little 
inferior  to  those  of  his  cotemporary.  In  the  latter 
part  of  his  life,  and  when  greatly  enfeebled,  "he 
preached  twice  every  Sabbath,  and  three  times  during 
the  week.  He  met  regularly  with  the  kirk  session 
once  a  week,  for  discipline,  and  with  an  assembly  in 
the  neighbourhood  of  Edinburgh,  for  exercise  in  the 
Scriptures.  He  attended  the  meetings  of  the  provin- 
cial Synod,  and  General  Assembly,  and  at  almost 
every  meeting  of  the  latter,  received  an  appointment 
to  preach  in  some  distant  part  of  the  country."  He 
still  preached,  although  he  was  so  feeble  that  he  had 
to  be  carried  to  the  pulpit.f 

"John  Calvin  was  twenty  years  of  age  before  he 
was  converted  from  Rome  to  Christ.  When,  soon 
afterwards,  this  Theology  struck  its  forces  into  his 
mind,  it  roused  him  to  the  utmost  stretch  of  thought. 
It  was  like  fire  in  his  bones.  So  vital  was  this  new 
life  within  him,  that  at  the  age  of  twenty-six  he  had 
deduced  the  entire  system  from  the  word  of  God, 
adjusted  its  elements  into  a  master-piece  of  logical 
coherence,  and  published  it  to  the  world,  in  his 
immortal  Institutes.  The  twenty-eight  years  of  life 
that  remained,  were  laden  with  affliction  both  of  mind 
and  body.     Physical  infirmities  multiplied,  until  no 

*  Doctrinal  Tracts,  page  164. 

t  McCrie's  Life  of  Knox,  pp.  237,  324. 


244  PREDESTINATION 

less  than  seven  distinct  maladies  laid  siege  to  his 
attenuated  frame.  He  suffered  also  every  private 
grief,  even  that  domestic  bereavement  which  he  styled 
'an  acute  burning  wound.'  It  is  impossible  to  look, 
without  wonder,  at  the  labours  he  prosecuted,  amidst 
all  this  weariness  and  painfulness.  The  products  of 
his  pen  exist  in  nine  huge  folios  of  printed  matter, 
besides  several  hundred  letters,  and  more  than  two 
thousand  sermons  and  Theological  Treatises  yet 
unpublished.  He  prepared  a  copious  commentary  on 
most  of  the  Scriptures,  edited  a  French  translation  of 
the  word  of  God;  disputed  by  tongue  and  pen  with 
Bolzec  on  the  doctrine  of  predestination,  with  West- 
phal  and  Heskius  on  the  sacraments,  with  Witsius  on 
free  will,  with  Pighius  on  free  grace,  and  Servetus  on 
the  Trinity.  He  wrote  against  relics,  astrology,  the 
Anabaptists,  the  Libertines  and  the  Pelagians.  He 
employed  his  weapon  of  wit  and  sarcasm  in  assailing 
the  Sorbonne,  his  powers  of  argumentation  in  confu- 
ting the  Tridentine  Decrees,  and  his  noble  eloquence 
in  behalf  of  the  Emperor  against  the  Pope.  He  cor- 
responded incessantly  with  his  contemporaries,  Farel, 
Viret,  Beza,  Melancthon,  Knox,  Cranmer,  and  the 
kings  of  Sweden,  Poland  and  Navarre — projecting, 
by  his  long  and  masterly  letters,  his  own  intellectual 
and  spiritual  life  into  the  leading  minds  of  Europe. 
With  an  asthmatical  cough,  he  lectured  three  days  in 
the  week  on  Theology,  and  preached  daily  on  every 
alternate  week.  He  presided  at  the  court  of  morals, 
which  met  once  a  week,  attended  the  frequent  assem- 
bly of  the  clergy,  assisted  in  settling  the  civil  and 
ecclesiastical  affairs  of  Geneva,  founded  there  a  semi- 
nary of  liberal  learning,  and  when  the  city  was 
threatened  with  a  siege,  laboured  at  the  fortifications. 
He  educated  preachers  of  the  gospel;  performed 
many  journeys;  was  consulted  on  all  important  sub- 
jects;  occupied  the  pulpits  of  his  brethren  in  their 


AN   INCENTIVE   TO    EFFORT.  245 

absence ;  visited  in  company  with  an  elder,  every 
family  in  the  city  once  a  year,  and  catechized  the 
children.  To  form  some  idea  of  his  activity,  let  us 
look  at  the  letter  which  he  wrote  to  Farel  from  Stras- 
burgh: — 'I  remember  no  day  in  this  whole  year  in 
which  I  have  been  so  pressed  with  such  a  variety  of 
occupations.  When  the  messenger  was  prepared  to 
take  the  beginning  of  my  work  with  this  letter,  I  had 
about  twenty  leaves  to  look  through.  I  had  then  to 
lecture  and  preach,  to  write  four  letters,  make  peace 
between  some  persons  who  had  quarrelled,  and  answer 
more  than  ten  people  who  came  to  me  for  advice. 
Forgive  me,  therefore,  if  I  write  briefly."  Besides  all 
these  things,  he  composed  the  dissensions  which  per- 
plexed the  Reformers,  and  the  strifes  which  afflicted 
the  churches;  and  aided  in  settling  the  affairs  of  the 
Reformation,  in  Poland,  France,  Germany,  Scotland, 
and  England.  At  last,  being  compelled  by  mortal 
disease  to  relinquish  public  duties,  he  received  in  his 
chamber  all  who  sought  his  advice,  and  wore  out  his 
amanuenses  by  dictating  to  them  his  works  and 
letters.  When  his  shortening  breath  and  failing 
voice  terminated  these  labours,  his  kindling  eye  and 
heaving  breast  indicated  that  he  was  in  constant 
prayer.  On  a  beautiful  evening  in  May,  just  as  the 
setting  sun  was  irradiating  with  its  purple  light,  the 
waters  of  the  Leman  and  Rhone,  the  Jura  moun- 
tains, and  the  more  distant  glaciers  of  the  Alps,  this 
great  man  rested  from  his  labours.  He  gave  direc- 
tions that  his  body  should  be  buried  without  the 
slightest  pomp,  and  that  his  grave  should  be  marked 
by  neither  monument  nor  headstone.  His  commands 
were  obeyed,  and  'no  man  knoweth  of  his  sepulchre 
unto  this  day.' " 

The  above,  with  some  additions,  is  taken  from  the 
sermon  which  the  Rev.  E.  P.  Humphrey  preached  at 
the  opening  of  the  Presbyterian  General  Assembly  in 
21* 


246  PREDESTINATION 

1852 ;  and  no  one  who  has  read  the  life  of  Calvin, 
will  consider  it  an  exaggeration.  It  is  not  Avonderful 
therefore,  that  Mr.  Wesley  should  say,  "  John  Calvin 
was  a  wise,  learned,  and  pious  man,"  and  "a  great 
instrument  of  God:"  and  that  Dr.  Fisk  speaking  of 
Geneva,  should  say,  "  To  have  given  birth  to  a  Cal- 
vin and  a  Beza,  is  honour  enough  of  the  kind  for  any 
city." 

It  is  true,  that  under  the  erroneous  opinion  of  the 
age,  and  the  belief,  that  the  Jewish  theocracy  should 
be  blended  with  the  gospel,  he  encouraged  the  en- 
forcement of  some  Jewish  laws,  which,  in  substance, 
were  the  laws  of  Geneva,  in  several  cases  of  extreme 
immorality,  and  in  one  case  of  extreme  heresy.  But 
it  is  also  true  that  not  a  writer  can  be  found,  within 
forty  years  of  the  time,  who  doubted  the  propriety  of 
the  proceedings.  • 

George  Whitefield  was  the  cotemporary  and  friend 
of  Mr.  Wesley.  The  latter  however,  being  a  very 
zealous  Arminian,  and  the  former  a  decided  Calvinist, 
this  doctrinal  difference  interrupted  their  intimacy. 
Still  it  did  not  prevent  Mr.  Wesley,  who  survived 
Mr.  Whitefield,  from  doing  justice  to  his  memory. 
From  the  funeral  discourse  which  the  former  preach- 
ed, in  reference  to  the  death  of  the  latter,  we  make 
the  following  extract,  viz. 

"Have  we  read  or  heard  of  any  person,  since  the 
Apostles,  who  testified  the  gospel  of  the  grace  of  God 
through  so  widely  extended  a  space — through  so  large 
a  part  of  the  habitable  world  ?  Have  we  read  or 
heard  of  any  person  who  called  so  many  thousands, 
so  many  myriads  of  sinners  to  repentance  ?  Above 
all,  have  we  read  or  heard  of  any  who  has  been  a 
blessed  instrument  in  the  hand  of  God,  for  bringing 
so  many  sinners  from  darkness  to  light,  and  from  the 
power  of  Satan  unto  God  ?"  "  0  God,  with  thee  no 
word  is  impossible !     Thou  dost  whatsoever  pleaseth 


AN  INCENTIVE  TO  EFFORT.  247 

thee !  0  that  thou  wouldst  cause  the  mantle  of  thy 
prophet,  whom  thou  hast  taken  up,  now  to  fall  upon 
us  that  remain  !     Where  is  the  Lord  God  of  Elijah?" 

Thus  spoke  John  Wesley,  as  well  he  might.  In  a 
ministry  of  thirty-four  years,  Mr.  Whitefield  crossed 
the  Atlantic  ocean  thirteen  times,  and  preached  more 
than  eighteen  thousand  sermons.  This,  in  addition  to 
his  great  amount  of  travel,  his  writing,  and  other  du- 
ties, was  on  an  average,  considerably  more  than  a 
sermon  for  every  day  of  his  ministry.  One  cannot 
but  be  amazed  at  the  great  amount  of  his  labours. 
Not  content  with  the  bounds  of  a  country  or  kingdom, 
he  preached  in  almost  every  considerable  place  in 
England,  Scotland,  Ireland,  and  in  the  Colonies  of 
North  America;  and  it  seemed  as  though  he  never 
preached  in  vain.  A  cotemporary  says  of  him,  that 
"in  the  compass  of  a  single  week,  and  that  for  years, 
he  spoke  forty  hours,  and  in  very  many  weeks,  for 
sixty  hours  ;  and  then  after  his  labours  in  public,  of- 
fered up  prayer  and  praise  in  every  house  to  which 
he  was  invited,  thus  incessantly  employing  his  whole 
strength,  and  as  it  were,  every  breath,  in  his  sacred 
function."* 

Let  us  now  hear  Whitefield  himself  in  reference  to 
the  great  moving  motive.  Writing  to  Mr.  Wesley, 
he  says,  "It  is  the  doctrine  of  election  that  mostly 
presses  me  to  abound  in  good  works.  I  am  made 
willing  to  'suffer  all  things  for  the  elect's  sake.'  This 
makes  me  preach  with  comfort,  because  I  know  salva- 
tion does  not  depend  on  man's  free  will,  but  the  Lord 
makes  them  willing  in  the  day  of  his  power,  and  can 
make  use  of  me  to  bring  some  of  his  elect  home,  when 
and  where  he  pleases."t 

Think  too,  of  the  labours  of  Brainerd  and  Martyn, 

*  Venn's  Sermon  on  the  Death  of  Whitefield. 
t  GilUes'  Life  of  Whitefield,  page  638. 


248  PREDESTINATION 

and  a  multitude  like  them,  for  the  conversion  of  the 
heathen;  of  Rowland  Hill,  Philip  Doddridge,  Legh 
Richmond,  Thomas  Scott,  John  Newton,  Jonathan 
Edwards,  Samuel  Davies,  William  Tennent,  Thomas 
Chalmers,  Edward  Payson,  Robert  Hall,  Asahel  Net- 
tleton,  &c.,  &c.,  &c.  Will  any  one  say,  that  for  abili- 
ty and  zeal,  and  efficiency,  they  will  not  compare 
with  an  equal  number  of  the  ablest  Arminians  that 
can  be  named? 

It  is  w^orthy  of  remark  also,  that  the  General  Con- 
ference has  the  biographies  of  the  following  staunch 
Calvinists  among  the  standard  publications  of  her 
Tract  Society,  viz.  "Watts  and  Haliburton — Dick- 
inson and  Janeway — Allein — Bunyan — Oberlin  and 
Zuingle."  The  last  in  some  respects  was  more  Cal- 
vinistic  than  Calvin.* 

It  is  a  very  great  mistake  to  suppose  that  the  doc- 
trine of  predestination  tends  to  induce  inactivity. 
Because  Alexander  the  Great  "was  sensible  that  he 
was  formed  to  possess  all  things — (that)  such  was  his 
destiny,  in  this  (therefore,)  he  made  his  happiness  to 
consist,"'!'  and  it  roused  him  to  an  energy  and  activity 
and  perseverance,  such  as  the  world  had  never  wit- 
nessed. Napoleon  Bonaparte  frequently  spoke  of 
his  "destiny"  also,  and  here  we  see  a  similar  result. 
"When  Columbus  had  formed  his  theory  of  finding 
land  by  sailing  to  the  West,  it  became  fixed  in  his 
mind  with  singular  firmness,  and  influenced  his  entire 
character  and  conduct.  He  never  spoke  in  doubt  or 
hesitation,  but  with  as  much  certainty  as  if  his  eyes 
beheld  the  promised  land.  No  trial  or  disappoint- 
ment could  divert  him  from  the  steady  pursuit  of  his 
object.     A  deep  religious  sentiment,  mingled  with  his 

*  See  First  Anmial  Report,  1854. 
f  Rollin,  Vol.  III.  page  86. 


AN  INCENTIVE  TO  EFFORT.         249 

meditations,  and  gave  them  at  times  a  tinge  of  super- 
stition, but  it  was  of  a  sublime  and  lofty  kind:  lie 
looked  upon  himself  as  standing  in  the  hand  of  Heaven, 
chosen  from  among  men  for  the  accomplishment  of  its 
high  purpose."* 

In  our  day  also,  we  have  seen  a  spirit  of  "  fillibus- 
tering"  roused  by  the  "  manifest  destiny"  of  our 
people,  such  as  the  government  can  scarcely  control. 
Nor  would  Arminians  themselves  complain,  that  their 
free  agency  was  destroyed,  or  their  energies  para- 
lyzed, if  they  could  persuade  themselves  that  they 
were  the  elect  of  God,  predestinated  from  eternity  to 
put  down  Calvinism. 

The  historian  Bancroft,  is  therefore  correct,  when 
he  says,  "The  political  character  of  Calvinism,  which 
with  one  consent,  and  with  instinctive  judgment  the 
monarchs  of  Europe  feared  as  republicanism,  and 
which  Charles  I.  declared  a  religion  unfit  for  a  gentle- 
man, is  expressed  in  a  single  word — predestination. 
Did  a  proud  aristocracy  trace  its  lineage  through 
generations  of  high  born  ancestry,  the  republican  re- 
former with  a  loftier  pride,  invaded  the  invisible  world, 
and  from  the  book  of  life,  brought  down  the  record  of 
the  noblest  enfranchisement,  decreed  from  all  eternity 
by  the  King-  of  kings.  His  few  converts  defied  the 
opposing  world  as  a  world  of  reprobates,  whom  God 
had  despised  and  rejected.  They  went  forth  in  con- 
fidence, that  men  who  were  kindling  with  the  same 
exalted  instincts,  would  listen  to  their  voice,  and  be 
efi"ectually  called  into  the  brunt  of  the  battle  by  their 
side.  And  standing  serenely  amid  the  crumbling 
fabrics  of  centuries  of  superstitions,  they  had  faith  in 
one  another;  and  the  martyrdoms  of  Cambray,  the 
fires  of  Smithfield,  and  the  surrender  of  benefices,  by 

*  Irving's  Life  of  Columbus,  Book  I.  Chap.  vi.  page  25. 


250     PREDESTINATION  AN  INCENTIVE  TO  EFFORT. 

two   thousand   non-conforming  Presbyterian   clergy- 
men, attest  their  perseverance."* 

Having  shown  that  Calvinism,  contrary  to  the 
charge  preferred  against  it,  is  a  powerful  incentive  to 
zeal,  let  us  inquire  whether  Arminianism  has  always 
had  the  same  effect. 

In  a  letter  from  Mr.  Wesley  to  his  brother  Charles, 
we  find  the  following,  viz.  "  What  is  it  that  has  eaten 
out  the  heart  of  half  our  preachers,  particularly  those 
in  Ireland?  Absolutely  idleness;  their  not  being  con- 
stantly employed,     I  see  it  plainer  and  plainer."t 

Surely  then  if  Mr.  Wesley,  who  selected,  watched 
over,  and  controlled  all  the  preachers,  could  speak 
thus  of  "  half"  of  them,  the  state  of  things  must  have 
been  bad  enough.  Again,  in  the  minutes  of  the  Con- 
ference of  1770,  we  meet  with  the  following,  viz. 

Q.  23.  "  Why  is  it  that  the  people  under  our  care 
are  no  better?" 

A.  "  Other  reasons  may  concur,  but  the  chief  is, 
because  we  are  not  more  knowing,  and  more  holy." 
Q,  24.  "But  why  are  we  not  more  knowing?" 
A.  "  Because  we  are  idle,"  &c.| 
Before,    we   had   the   charge  of  idleness    against 
"half  the  preachers,"  from  Mr.  Wesley,  but  now  we 
have  a  more  general  charge,  in  reference  to  the  same 
sin,  from  the  whole  Conference.     "  We  are  idle." 

All  that  remains  under  this  head,  is  to  show  what 
Arminians  say  of  themselves  at  the  present  time. 
The  General  Conference,  speaking  for  all  their 
preachers  in  1844,  says,  "  In  ourselves  there  is  much 
dulness  and  laziness.  .  .  We  have  a  base,  man-pleas- 
ing temper,"  &c.§ 

Surely  then,  Arminians  are  the  last  people  'on  earth 

*  History  of  the  United  States,  Vol.  II.  pp.  461,  463. 

f  Wliitehead's  Life  of  Wesley,  page  165.  j  Ibid,  page  201. 

^  Sec  Doctrine  aud  Discipline,  page  59. 


AN   UNSATISFACTORY   ANSWER.  251 

to  bring  the  charge  against  Calvinism,  that  it  "di- 
rectly tends  to  destroy  our  zeal  for  good  works." 

But  it  is  objected  again,  that  "  this  doctrine  pa- 
ralyzes the  efforts  of  devotion  and  benevolence."* 

Let  us  see.  The  Old-school  Presbyterian  Church, 
with  219,263  communicants,  gave,  in  1853,  to  the 
cause  of  Foreign  and  Domestic  Missions,  $234,724.16, 
making  $1.06  on  an  average  to  each  member.f  The 
Methodist  Episcopal  Churches,  North  and  South, 
with  1,298,767  communicants,  gave  to  the  same  ob- 
jects, during  the  same  year,  $338,075.00,  or  about 
twenty-six  cents  for  each  member.|  The  matter  then 
stands  thus :  an  Arminian  gives  to  an  object  twenty- 
six  cents,  to  which  a  Calvinist  gives  four  times  as 
much,  and  yet  the  Arminian  says,  "  Calvinism  para- 
lyzes the  efforts  of  devotion  and  benevolence."  Added 
to  this,  it  is  proper  to  remark,  that  Arminians  have  a 
knack  of  getting  hold  of  Calvinistic  money,  which 
cannot  be  said  of  Calvinists  in  reference  to  Arminian 
money,  and  which  would  considerably  curtail  their 
figures. 

But,  says  the  Rev.  R.  S.  Foster,  "Will  you  appeal 
to  facts,  that  such  is  not  the  tendency  of  your  sys- 
tem? I  shall  reply  that  they  are  incompetent  to  meet 
the  case;  that  admittiag  them  to  be  different  from 
what  it  is  alleged  the  system  would  make  them,  this 
would  only  prove  that  the  system  had  not  always 
worked  out  its  legitimate  results  ;  that  the  bad  and 
disastrous  influence  had  in  some  instances  been  coun- 
teracted by  the  presence  of  some  wholesome  ele- 
ments."§ 

Here  it  is  admitted  that  Calvinism  has  produced 
some  good  fruits,  but  it  is  contended  that  this  is  un- 

*  Calvinistic  Controversy,  p.  56. 

t  See  Minutes  of  the  Assembly,  pp.  604,  607. 

X  Almanac  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal  Chm-ch,  North,  for  1855. 

I  Objections  to  Calvinism,  page  60. 


252  AN   UNSATISFACTORY   ANSWER. 

natural,  and  in  defiance  of  the  system.  It  has  been 
shown,  however,  that  where  an  Arminian  gives  twenty- 
six  cents  to  a  benevolent  object,  a  Calvinist  gives  a 
dollar.  Mr.  Foster  himself  says,  "The  Presbyterian 
Church  has  many  surpassing  excellencies — many  yfhich. 
the  Methodist  Church  would  do  well  to  emulate."  Mr. 
Wesley,  on  the  contrary,  after  giving  a  summary  of 
the  fruits  of  Arminianism  in  his  day,  and  under  his 
control,  said  they  were  the  "direful  fruits  of  the  bot- 
tomless pit."  And  the  account  of  the  General  Con- 
ference in  1844,  in  reference  to  the  same  subject,  is 
but  little  better.  The  matter  then  will  stand  thus. 
Notwithstanding  Calvinism  is  (according  to  Armin- 
ians)  anti  scriptural  and  corrupt,  and  Arminianism 
pure  and  scriptural  throughout,  the  former  has  borne 
good  fruit,  and  the  latter  has  borne  bad  fruit.  Our 
Saviour  taught,  Matt.  vii.  18,  that  "a  good  tree  cannot 
bring  forth  evil  fruit,  neither  can  a  corrupt  tree  bring 
forth  good  fruit."  Arminians,  however,  reverse  this, 
and  teach  that  a  good  tree  bringeth  forth  evil  fruit, 
and  a  corrupt  tree  bringeth  forth  good  fruit. 

Again.  Our  Saviour  said,  Matt.  xii.  23,  "Either 
make  the  tree  good,  and  his  fruit  good,  or  else  make 
the  tree  corrupt  and  his  fruit  corrupt,  for  the  tree  is 
known  by  its  fruits."  But  according  to  Arminians 
this  should  be — Either  make  the  tree  good  and  his 
fruit  corrupt,  or  else  make  the  tree  corrupt  and  his 
fruit  good,  for  the  tree  is  not  known  by  its  fruits. 

Mr.  Foster,  after  having  written  nearly  sixty  octavo 
pages  against  the  alleged  errors  of  Calvinists,  without 
naming  or  alluding  to  any  of  the  fruits  of  these  er- 
rors, except  "  many  of  surpassing  excellence  which 
his  own  Church  would  do  well  to  emulate;"  says,  "  Cal- 
vinism has  produced,  and  does  now  produce  the  fruits 
charged  against  it."  That  it  is  to  the  fruits  of  the 
system,  and  not  to  the  errors,  he  alludes,  is  evident 
from  what  immediately  follows,  viz.  "It  does  so,  not 


AN   UNSATISFACTORY   ANSWER.  253 

only  in  some,  but  in  many,  if  not  all  instances,  where 
it  is  not  neutralized  by  the  presence  of  more  powerful 
principles  of  belief,  existing  coetaneously  in  the  mind. 
It  is  innocent  only  when  it  is  practically  disbe- 
lieved."* 

As  then,  Mr.  Foster  does  not  name  any  of  these 
fruits  himself,  which  he  says,  "  Calvinism  has  pro- 
duced, and  does  now  produce,"  he  must  refer  to  "the 
fruits  charged  against  it,"  in  the  Doctrinal  Tracts, 
Calvinistic  Controversy,  Theological  Institutes,  &c. 
But  if  it  has  been  so  "neutralized"  that  "from  the 
earliest  ages  Calvinists  have  excelled,  in  no  small  de- 
gree, in  the  practice  of  the  most  rigid  and  respectable 
virtues,  and  have  been  the  highest  honour  to  their 
own  age,  and  the  best  models  for  imitation  for  every 
succeeding  age;"  if  it  was  so  "neutralized  in  Au- 
gustine" that  he  was  by  far  the  holiest  and  most 
useful  man  of  his  day — and  in  Calvin,  so  that  he  was 
"  a  great  instrument  of  God" — a  lasting  honour  to  the 
city  in  which  he  lived,  having  introduced  into  it  such 
a  state  of  morals  as  constrained  John  Knox  to  say, 
"I  have  not  seen  in  any  other  place  manners  and  re- 
ligion so  sincerely  reformed;"  and  the  historian  Ban- 
croft to  say,  "The  light  of  Calvin's  genius  scattered 
the  mask  of  darkness,  to  which  superstition  had  held 
the  brow  of  religion  for  centuries  before ;  his  probity 
was  unquestionable,  his  morals  spotless,  and  when  he 
died  he  left  to  the  world  a  purer  reformation,"  &c.; 
if  it  was  so  "  neutralized  in  John  Knox,"  and  the 
Presbyterians  of  Scotland,  that,  in  the  language  of  Dr. 
Chalmers,  "  Scotland,  which  of  all  the  countries  of 
Europe  is  the  most  signalized  by  the  rigid  Calvinism 
of  her  pulpits,  is  also  most  signalized  by  the  moral 
glory  that  sits  on  the  aspect  of  her  population;"  if 
it  was  so  "neutralized"  amonor  the  Puritans  of  Eng- 
land,  that  "  there  was  not  a  play  acted  in  any  theatre 

*  Objections  to  Calvinism,  page  60. 

22 


254  AN   UNSATISFACTORY  ANSWER. 

for  about  twenty  years ;  profane  swearing,  drunken- 
ness, nor  any  kind  of  debauchery  were  seen  or  heard 
in  the  streets,  and  the  Lord's  day  was  observed  with 
unusual  reverence;"  if  it  was  so  "neutralized"  in 
George  Whitefield,  and  a  host  of  others,  that  to  a  re- 
markable degree  they  were  "the  salt  of  the  earth," 
&c.;  if  finally,  it  has  been  so  neutralized  in  the  United 
States,  that  a  Calvinist  gives  more  than  four  times  as 
much  to  objects  of  benevolence  as  an  Arminian,  and 
the  Presbyterian  Church  has  '•^mavy  surpassing  ex- 
cellencies which  Arminians  would  do  well  i;o  emu- 
late;" it  is  after  all  a  very  harmless  affair. 

But  as  Arminians  hold  to  two  sides  at  least  of 
every  question  in  the  Calvinistic  controversy,  it  is 
proper  to  hear  what  they  have  to  say  on  the  other 
side,  also.  ^ 

Mr.  Adams,  of  Lynn,  a  part  of  whose  letter  has 
been  given  already,  says,  "You  should  not  forget  that 
among  the  Calvinists  are  some  of  the  greatest  Chris- 
tian and  biblical  scholars  now  upon  the  stage  ;  that 
among  them  are  large  numbers  of  able,  devoted  and 
excellent  ministers,  at  whose  feet  you  and  I  would 
delight  to  sit  and  receive  instruction.  Nor  should  you 
forget,  that  by  these  same  heretics,  almost  every 
benevolent  cause  is  fostered  and  encouraged — the 
largest  missionary  operations  are  carried  forward, 
and  the  most  vigorous  efforts  are  made  to  save  the 
■world." 

The  Rev.  Dr.  Elliot,  editor  of  the  Western  Chris- 
tian Advocate,  thus  expressed  himself  in  an  editorial 
a  few  years  ago: 

"The  Presbyterians  of  every  class  were  prominent 
and  even  foremost  in  achieving  the  liberties  of  the 
United  States.  They  have  been  all  along  the  leading 
supporters  of  constitution  and  law,  and  good  order. 
They  have  been  the  pioneers  of  learning  and  sound 
knowledge,  from  the  highest  to  the  lowest  grade,  and 
are  now  its  principal  supporters.    The  cause  of  morals 


AN   UNSATISFACTORY   ANSWER.  255 

and  good  order  has  always  found  them  first  to  aid, 
and  among  the  last  to  retire  from  its  support." 

Finally,  the  Qhristian  Advocate  and  Journal^  of 
April,  1845,  says,  "  These  advocates  of  an  enslaved 
will,  are  the  steadfast  friends  of  human  liberty.  To 
promote  it  they  have  always  been  ready  to  pour  out 
their  blood  like  water.  They  are  the  men  to  confront 
councils  and  kings,  though  there  be  as  many  devils 
there  as  there  are  tiles  on  the  roofs  of  the  houses. 
They  are  the  friends  of  education — the  publishers  of 
the  Bible — the  sleepless  defenders  of  their  country's 
liberty — the  emancipators  of  the  press — the  observers 
of  the  Sabbath — the  inflexible  opponents  of  priestly 
dominion — the  friends  of  the  people — the  unflinching 
martyrs  for  the  truth.  How  can  we  do  otherwise 
than  love  them  ?  They  are  worthy  !  They  are  called 
Calvinists,  but  they  are  Christians  and  freemen." 

Thus  spake  two  of  the  organs  of  the  General  Con- 
ference. Surely  then,  Calvinism  does  not  "  directly 
tend  to  destroy  our  zeal  for  good  works,"  "  nor  para- 
lyze our  efforts  in  the  work  of  benevolence  and  love." 

Having  noticed  all  the  principal,  and  indeed  very 
nearly  every  objection  urged  against  Calvinism,  in  the 
Doctrinal  Tracts,  Calvinistic  Controversy,  and  Theo- 
logical Institutes,  I  will  close  this  part  of  my  work 
with  a  passage  from  Paul: 

"For  this  is  the  word  of  promise:  'At  this  time 
I  will  come,  and  Sarah  shall  have  a  son.'  And  not 
only  this,  but  when  Rebecca  had  also  conceived  by 
one,  even  by  our  father  Isaac,  (for  the  children  being 
not  yet  born,  neither  having  done  any  good  or  evil, 
that  the  purpose  of  God  according  to  election  might 
stand,  not  of  works,  but  of  him  that  calleth,)  it  was 
said  unto  her,  The  elder  shall  serve  the  younger :  as  it 
is  written,  Jacob  have  I  loved,  but  Esau  have  I  hated. 
What  shall  we  say  then?  Is  there  unrighteousness  in 
God?     God  forbid!" 

To  this  plain  case  of  sovereiga  uacoaditional  elec- 


256  PERSONS   AWAKENED   MERELY 

tion,  the  Apostle  supposes  the  objection  of  unright- 
eousness in  the  proceeding  to  be  raised.  To  this  he 
replies  without  attempting  to  explain  the  deep  mys- 
tery. "God  forbid."  With  the  Rev.  Mr.  Watson  he 
seems  to  have  thought  that  "  God  has  a  right  to  se- 
lect whom  he  pleases  to  enjoy  special  privileges,"  and 
that  "in  this  there  is  no  injustice."  "For  he  saith 
to  Moses,  I  will  have  mercy  on  whom  I  will  have 
mercy,  and  I  will  have  compassion  on  whom  I  will 
have  compassion.  So  then  it  is  not  of  him  that  will- 
eth,  nor  of  him  that  runneth,  but  of  God  that  show- 
eth  mercy.  For  the  Scripture  saith  unto  Pharaoh, 
Even  for  this  purpose  have  I  raised  thee  up,  that  I 
might  show  my  power  in  thee,  and  that  my  name 
might  be  declared  throughout  all  the  earth.  Therefore, 
hath  he  mercy  on  whom  he  will  have  mercy,  and 
whom  he  will,  he  hardeneth.  Thou  wilt  say  then 
unto  me.  Why  doth  he  yet  find  fault,  for  who  hath  re- 
sisted his  will?" 

Here  Paul  supposes,  that  as  God  had  raised  up 
Pharaoh  for  a  particular  purpose,  an  objector  will  ask, 
"  Why  doth  he  yet  find  fault,  for  who  hath  resisted 
his  will?"  Or  as  God  has  expressed  it  by  Jeremiah, 
"  Will  ye  steal,  murder,  and  commit  adultery,  and 
swear  falsely,  and  burn  incense  unto  Baal,  and  walk 
after  other  gods  whom  ye  know  not;  and  come  and 
stand  before  me  in  this  house,  which  is  called  by  my 
name,  and  say.  We  are  delivered  to  do  all  these  abom- 
inations?" Jer.  vii.  9,  10.  To  an  objection  so  blas- 
phemous, the  Apostle,  without  attempting  to  remove 
the  supposed  difficulty,  viz.  that  they  were  "  de- 
livered to  do  these  things,"  replies,  "Nay,  but.O  man, 
who  art  thou  that  repliest  against  God?  Shall  the 
thing  formed  say  to  him  that  formed  it.  Why  hast 
thou  made  me  thus?  Hath  not  the  potter  power  over 
the  clay,  of  the  same  lump  to  make  one  vessel  unto 
honour,  and  another  unto  dishonour?  What  if  God, 
willing  to  show  his  wrath,  and  to  make  his  power 


SHOULD  NOT  BE  BAPTIZED.         257 

known,  endured  with  much  long-suffering  the  vessels 
of  wrath  fitted  for  destruction,  and  that  he  might 
make  known  the  riches  of  his  glory,  on  the  vessels  of 
mercy,  which  he  had  afore  prepared  unto  glory,  even 
us  whom  he  hath  called,  not  of  the  Jews  only,  but 
also  of  the  Gentiles."  Romans  ix.  9,  &c.  Thus 
teaching  that  inasmuch  as  "  God  giveth  not  account 
of  any  of  his  matters,"  Job  xxxiii.  13;  and  "it  is 
his  glory  to  conceal  a  thing,"  Pro  v.  xxv.  2 ;  it  is  the 
height  of  presumption  and  folly  in  man,  to  attempt 
to  fathom  the  high  mystery,  of  the  propriety  of  which 
there  can  be  no  doubt.  The  reader  will  observe  also, 
that  while  the  Apostle  represents  God,  as  forming, 
like  a  potter,  out  of  the  same  clay,  "  one  vessel  unto 
honour,  and  another  unto  dishonour,"  he  at  the  same 
time  represents  him,  as  "enduring  with  mueh  long- 
suffering  the  vessels  of  wrath  fitted  to  destruction," 
and  "  making  known  the  riches  of  his  glory  on  the 
vessels  of  mercy  which  he  had  before  prepared  unto 
glory."  If  then,  these  unfathomable  mysteries  did 
not  perplex  an  inspired  Apostle,  they  shall  not  per- 
plex me.  If  he  did  not  doubt  the  wisdom  and  equity 
of  the  proceeding,  neither  will  I.  If  God  "  endures 
with  much  long-suffering  the  vessels  of  wrath  fitted 
for  destruction,"  I  will  be  careful  not  to  provoke  him 
by  my  sins.  And  finally,  if  there  shall  be  but  one 
"vessel  of  mercy  prepared  afore  unto  glory,"  I  will 
"  use  diligence  to  make  my  calling  and  election  sure," 
so  that  if  possible,"  I  may  be  that  "vessel." 

Having  noticed,  so  far  as  we  are  aware,  all  the  ob- 
jections which  Arminians  urge  against  the  divine  de- 
crees, we  will  close  this  chapter  with  the  notice  of 
another  objection  urged  against  Calvinists,  viz.  that 
they  do  not  baptize  those  who  are  awakened  merely. 
Thus  says  Bishop  Morris,  "  True  penitents  are  proper 
subjects  of  baptism. 

1.  "Baptism  is  one  of  the  means  of  grace,  and 
22* 


258  PERSONS  AWAKENED   MERELY 

therefore  suitable  for  penitents  who  need  all  the  help 
they  can  get.  So  Peter  understood  it,  as  appears 
from  the  advice  he  gave  those  who  were  smitten  un- 
der his  preaching:  "Now  when  they  heard  this,  they 
were  pricked  in  their  hearts,  and  said  unto  Peter  and 
to  the  rest  of  the  Apostles,  Men  and  brethren,  what 
shall  we  do  ?  Then  Peter  said  unto  them,  Repent, 
and  be  baptized  every  one  of  you  in  the  name  of  Jesus 
Christ,  for  the  remission  of  sins,  and  ye  shall  receive 
the  gift  of  the  Holy  Ghost."  Acts  ii.  37,  38.* 

"  Here  we  cannot  but  mark  the  diflFerence  between 
the  system  of  some  Calvinistic  teachers,  and  that  of 
the  gospel.  Their  system  is,  1.  Conversion;  2.  Re- 
pentance; 3.  Pardon;  and  lastly.  Baptism.  But 
Peter's  arrangement  is,  1.  Repentance  ;  2.  Baptism  ; 
3.  Pardon;  and  4.  The  witness  of  the  Spirit." 

Such  is  the  hostility  of  Arminians  to  Calvinism  that 
they  not  only  go  out  of  their  way  to  give  it  a  blow, 
but  even  then,  they  cannot  find  it  in  their  hearts  to 
do  it  fairly.  Divines  make  a  distinction  between  re- 
generation and  conversion.  With  that  distinction, 
what  Bishop  Morris  lays  down  for  Calvinists  as  first 
in  the  order,  is,  accordiijg  to  Calvinists  themselves, 
the  third.  But  to  the  objection — of  Abraham  it  is 
said,  "  He  received  the  sign  of  circumcision,  a  seal  of 
the  righteousness  of  the  faith  which  he  had,  yet  being 
uncircumcised."  Rom.  iv.  11.  Now,  if  the  Abra- 
hamic  covenant  is  the  covenant  of  the  Church,  and 
baptism,  in  the  Christian  Church,  takes  the  place  of 
circumcision  in  the  Jewish,  we  will  find  the  teaching 
of  the  Scriptures  in  reference  to  baptism,  to  corres- 
pond with  their  teaching  in  reference  to  circumcision. 
Circumcision,  was  to  an  adult  "a  seal  of  the  right- 

*  The  reader  need  hardly  be  informed  that  "the  gift  of  the  Holy 
Ghost"  does  not  here  refer  to  regeneration,  but  to  its  then  common 
miraculous  influence.  See  Mark  xvi.  17;  Acts  i.  5;  ii.  4;  viii. 
14—17;  xix.  1—6;  1  Cor.  xii,  8—13. 


SHOULD  NO*  bS  baptized.  269 

eousness  of  the  faith  which  he  had,  being  yet  uncir- 
curacised."  Of  course,  then,  it  would  not  have  been 
proper  for  an  adult,  who  was  without  piety,  to  receive 
it.  Psalm  1.  16,  17.  So  also  in  reference  to  baptism. 
When  the  Eunuch  inquired  of  Philip,  "What  doth 
hinder  me  to  be  baptized?"  Philip  replied,  "If  thou 
believest  with  all  thine  heart,  thou  mayest."*  Al- 
though then  Peter  did  say  to  those  who  had  inquired, 
"What  shall  we  do?"  "Repent  and  be  baptized," 
&c.  it  is  evident  from  what  immediately  follows,  viz. 
"with  many  other  words  did  he  testify  and  exhort" 
— they  gladly  received  the  word  and  were  baptized" 
.  .  .  continued  steadfastly  in  the  Apostles'  doctrine  .  .  . 
all  that  believed  were  together  .  .  .  and  the  Lord 
added  daily  to  the  Church  such  as  should  be  saved :" 
we  say,  from  this  it  is  evident  that  these  penitents 
were,  at  the  time  of  their  baptism,  regenerated  be- 
lievers, and  so  were,  according  to  Calvinists,  proper 
subjects  of  the  ordinance.  Let  us  now  have  a 
word  about  the  practice  of  Arminians  on  this  sub- 
ject. 

Baptism  was  not  required  at  all  in  the  Methodist 
Episcopal  Church  in  the  United  States  till  in  1828. f 
We  could  name  one,  at  least,  who,  although  he  has 
been  a  communicant  in  that  Church  for  more  than 
thirty  years,  has  never  been  baptized.  Probably  there 
are  many  others.  The  habit  also  of  admitting  pro- 
bationers to  the  Lord's  supper  without  baptism,  is,  so 
far  as  our  knowledge  extends,  almost  universal,  not- 
withstanding the  Scriptures  say  expressly  in  reference 
to  the  passover,  "  No  uncircumcised  person  shall  eat 
thereof."  Exodus  xii.  48.  Further,  although  one  doc- 
trine of  the  Methodist  Episcopal  Church,  is,  that  in- 
fants   dying   without   baptism    go    to    perdition,    no 

*  Acts  viii.  36,  37.     See  also  Mark  xvi.  16. 
•}•  Minutes  of  the  General  Conference  for  1828. 


260  MISREPRESENTATIONS. 

Church  which  holds  the  ordinance  of  infant  baptism, 
neglects  it  so  much.  Finally,  although  there  is  no 
authority  in  Scripture,  or  in  reason,  for  baptizing  a 
child  unless  one  of  the  parents,  at  least,  is  a  professed 
believer,*  Arminians  baptize  the  children  of  all  who 
apply  for  it,  whether  the  parents  are  pious  or  not. 
Surely  then,  they  should  pluck  the  real  beams  out  of 
their  own  eyes,  before  they  give  themselves  so  much 
concern  about  a  supposed  mote  in  another's  eye. 


CHAPTER    XIII. 

ANTI-CALVINISTIC    MISREPRESENTATIONS. 

Dr.  Fisk,  in  the  sermon  with  which  he  introduces 
the  Calvinistic  Controversy,  says,  "They  (Calvinists) 
hold  that  God  by  his  decree  plunged  Adam  and  all 
his  race  into  the  pit  of  sin,  from  which  none  of  them 
had  the  means  of  escape,"  &c.  In  reference  to  this, 
Calvin  says,  "The  primitive  condition  of  man  was 
ennobled  with  these  eminent  faculties.  He  possessed 
reason,  understanding,  prudence  and  judgment,  not 
only  for  the  government  of  his  life  on  earth,  but  to 
enable  him  to  ascend  to  God,  and  eternal  felicity.  .  . 
In  this  integrity,  man  was  endowed  with  free  will,  by 
which,  if  he  had  chosen,  he  might  have  obtained 
eternal  life.  For  here,  it  would  be  unreasonable  to 
introduce  the  question  respecting  the  secret  predesti- 

*  Abraham  "  received  circumcision,  a  seal  of  the  righteousness  of 
the  faith  which  he  had  yet  being  uncircumeised,"  Rom.  iv.  11;  and 
on  that  faith  his  household  were  circumcised,  Gen.  xvii.  26,  27; 
Acts  xvi.  14,  15,  30—33;  1  Cor.  vii.  14;  Heb.  xi.  6;  Psalm  1.  16. 


MISREPRESENTATIONS.  261 

nation  of  God,  because  we  are  not  discussing  what 
might  possibly  have  happened  or  not,  but  what  was 
the  real  nature  of  man.  Adam,  therefore,  could  have 
stood,  if  he  would,  since  he  fell  merely  by  his  own  will. 
Because  his  will  was  flexible  to  either  side,  and  he 
Was  not  endued  with  constancy  to  persevere,  there- 
fore he  so  easily  fell.  Yet  his  choice  of  good  and 
evil,  was  free,"  &c.* 

"Man  in  his  state  of  innocency,  had  freedom  and 
power  to  will,  and  to  do  that  which  is  good  and  well- 
pleasing  ;  but  yet  mutably,  so  that  they  might  fall 
from  it."t 

"  Our  first  parents,  being  left  to  the  freedom  of 
their  own  will,  through  the  temptation  of  Satan, 
transgressed  the  commandment  of  God,  in  eating  the 
forbidden  fruit,  and  thereby  fell  from  the  estate  of 
innocency  wherein  they  were  created."! 

Here  then  is  one  misrepresentation ;  let  us  notice 
another.  In  the  introduction  to  "Foster's  Objec- 
tions to  Calvinism,"  page  10,  we  meet  with  the  follow^ 
ing,  viz.  "We  doubt  not  that  many,  after  perusing 
these  pages,  will  fully  acquiesce  with  Calvin,  in  term- 
ing as  he  did,  the  decree  of  predestination,  a  'horri- 
ble decree.'"  A  similar  statement  may  be  found  in 
Watson's  Theological  Institutes,  Part  II.  Chap,  xxvii ; 
in  the  Doctrinal  Tracts,  page  197,  and  in  Arminian 
authors  generally. 

As  this  is  a  misrepresentation  of  Calvin,  so  common, 
we  will  take  a  somewhat  caj-eful  notice  of  it.  And, 
1.  The  English  word  horrible^  commonly  suggests 
the  idea  of  moral  evil,  but  the  Latin  word  horri- 
bilis,  has  no  such  meaning  associated  with  it.  Ains- 
worth  renders  it — 1.  Rough,  rugged.  2.  Horrible, 
terrible,    dreadful,    frightful.      3.    Weighty,    severe. 

*  Institutes,  Book  I.  Chap.  xv.  Sec.  viii. 
f  Confession  of  Faith,  Chap.  ix.  Sec.  ii. 
J  Larger  Catechism,  Question  21. 


262  MISREPRESENTATIONS. 

4.  Awful,  reverend.  From  this  classification,  it  is 
evident  that  horrible  does  not  mean  anything  im- 
proper. 2.  The  connection  shows  that  Calvin  did  not 
attach  to  the  word  horrihilis^  the  meaning  his 
enemies  represent;  hence  the  only  translation  of  his 
Institutes  that  has  come  under  our  notice,  renders  the 
original  Latin  word  "awful"  instead  of  "horrible," 
just  as  the  sense  requires.  Calvin,  in  view  of  the 
awful  consequences  involved  in  the  fall  of  our  first 
parents,  says  of  the  divine  decree  in  reference  to  it, 
*^  Horribile  deeretum  eonfiteor."  It  is  an  awful 
decree,  I  confess;  just  as  we  would  say  of  the  decree 
to  bring  on  the  deluore — of  the  decree  for  the  destruc- 
tion  of  Sodom  and  Gomorrah;  or  of  the  decree  in 
reference  to  the  eternal  punishment  of  the  wicked,  &c. 
3.  On  the  very  next  page,  in  the  same  chapter,  he 
says,  "Predestination  is  no  other  than  a  dispensation 
of  divine  justice,  mysterious  indeed,  but  liable  to  no 
blame.  Since  they  (the  wicked)  were  not  unworthy 
of  being  predestinated  to  that  fate,  it  is  equally  cer- 
tain that  the  destruction  they  incur,  is  consistent  with 
the  strictest  justice."  And  on  the  next  page  he  says, 
"The  ordination  of  God,  by  which  (the  wicked)  com- 
plain that  they  were  destined  to  destruction,  is  guided 
by  equity,  unknown  indeed  to  us,  but  indubitably  cer- 
tain. Whence  we  conclude  that  they  sustain  no 
misery  which  is  not  inflicted  on  them  by  the  most 
righteous  judgment  of  God."* 

The  following  is  taken  from  the  Christian  Intelli- 
gencer of  March,  1854. 

"  The  Horrible  Decree. — In  the  current  number  of 
the  Methodist  Quarterly ,  a  writer  alludes  twice  to 
predestination  as  being  called  by  Calvin  himself  a 
*  horrible  decree.'  The  second  time  he  goes  so  far  as 
to  give  the  original  Latin,  deeretum  horribile.     This 

*  Institutes,  Vol.  II.  Book  III.  Chap,  xxxiii.  Sec.  8,  9. 


MISREPRESENTATIONS.  263 

charge  has  been  made  frequently  before  in  the  same 
Review.  It  is  wonderful  that  this  stale  and  ridiculous 
story  has  not  been  long  since  exploded.  Every  rea- 
sonable person  gives  Calvin  credit  for  at  least  ordinary 
piety  and  sense.  How  then  could  he  have  admitted 
that  a  doctrine  which  he  believed  and  taught  to  be  in 
the  Scripture  was  horrible?  Does  it  not  involve  a  con- 
tradiction? Can  a  man  really  believe  the  Deity  to  do 
that  which  is  horrible?  It  seems  to  us  that  he  must 
either  renounce  his  belief  in  such  a  Being  as  divine, 
or  his  conviction  of  the  true  character  of  his  acts. 
The  two  cannot  co-exist." 

These  remarks  might  be  extended,  but  enough 
has  been  said  to  satisfy  any  one  in  search  for  truth, 
of  the  great  injustice  done  to  Calvin,  and  con- 
tinued. 

In  the  Calvinistic  Controversy,  we  have  the  follow- 
ing, in  the  sermon : 

"  It  is  said  that  God  out  of  his  mere  sovereignty, 
without  anything  in  the  creature  to  move  him  thereto, 
elects  sinners  to  everlasting  life." 

"  It  is  said !"  But  where  is  it  so  said  ?  Calvinists 
do  not  know,  and  Arminians  do  not  tell  us.  In  the 
Confession  of  Faith,  Chap.  III.  Sec.  v.,  it  is  said, 
"  Those  of  mankind  that  are  predestinated  unto  life, 
God  .  .  .  hath  chosen  in  Christ,  unto  everlasting 
glory,  out  of  his  mere  free  grace  and  love,  without 
any  foresight  of  faith  or  good  works,  or  perse- 
verance in  either  of  them,  or  any  other  thing  in 
the  creature,  as  conditions  or  causes  moving  him 
thereunto." 

So  then,  while  Arminians  charge  Calvinists  with 
teaching  "  that  God  out  of  his  mere  sovereignty  .  .  . 
elects  sinners  to  everlasting  life,"  Calvinists  them- 
selves teach  that  it  is  "  out  of  his  mere  free  grace  and 
love."  Arminians  teach  that  "faith  in  Christ,  pro- 
ducing obedience,  is  a  cause,  without  which  God  elects 


264  MISREPRESENTATIONS. 

none  unto  glory."*  Calvinists  contend,  on  the  con- 
trary, that  if  this  be  true,  then,  of  all  who  die  in  in- 
fancy, not  one  enters  heaven ;  that  if  those  who  die 
in  infancy  are  saved,  then  at  least  two-thirds  of  all 
that  are  saved  are  elected  unto  glory  without  "  faith 
in  Christ  producing  obedience."  So  that  Arminians 
are  compelled  to  yield  this  point,  or  give  up  the  doc- 
trine of  infant  salvation. 

But,  says  the  Arminian,  "if  there  is  nothing  in  the 
creature  to  move  him  (Grod)  thereto,  how  can  it  be 
called  mercy  or  compassion  ?"t 

To  this,  Calvinists  reply,  they  do  not  say  "  there  is 
nothing  in  the  creature  to  move  him  thereto,"  but 
that  election  is  not  based  upon  "a  foresight  of  faith, 
or  good  works,  or  perseverance  in  either  of  them,  or 
any  other  thing  in  the  creature,  as  conditions  or 
causes,  moving  him  thereunto;"  and  for  the  truth  of 
their  doctrine,  they  appeal  to  the  word  of  God.  Thus, 
Rom.  xi.  5,  "  Even  so  then  at  this  present  time, 
there  is  a  remnant  according  to  the  election  of  grace. 
And  if  by  grace,  then  it  is  no  more  of  works;  other- 
wise grace  is  no  more  grace.  But  if  it  be  of  works,  then 
is  it  no  more  grace;  otherwise  work  is  no  more  work." 
Eph.  ii.  8,  "For  by  grace  are  ye  saved,  through  faith  ; 
and  that  not  of  yourselves,  it  is  the  gift  of  God.  Not 
of  works,  lest  any  man  should  boast;  for  we  are  his 
workmanship,  created  anew  in  Christ  Jesus  unto  good 
works,  which  God  hath  before  ordained  that  we  should 
walk  in  them."  He  "  hath  saved  us,  and  called  us 
with  an  holy  calling,  not  according  to  our  works, 
but  according  to  his  own  purpose  and  grace,  which 
was  given  us  in  Christ  Jesus  before  the  world  began." 
2  Tim.  i.  9. 

Notwithstanding  the  Scriptures  are  thus  full  and 

*  Doctrinal  Tracts,  page  140. 

f  Calvinistic  Controversy,  the  Sermon. 


MISREPRESENTATIONS.  265 

explicit,  the  Arminian  goes,  if  possible,  beyond  it. 
Thus  Mr.  Wesley,  in  his  sermon  on  "  Salvation  by 
Faith,"  says  :  "  Of  yourself  cometh  neither  your  faith 
nor  your  salvation.  It  is  the  gift  of  God ;  the  free 
undeserved  gift,  the  faith  through  which  ye  are  saved, 
as  well  as  the  salvation  which  he  of  his  own  good 
pleasure,  his  mere  favour  annexes  thereto.  That  ye 
believe,  is  one  instance  of  his  grace;  that  believing 
ye  are  saved,  another.  Not  of  works,  lest  any  man 
should  boast,  for  all  our  works,  all  our  righteousness, 
which  were  before  our  believing,  merited  nothing  of 
God,  but  condemnation.  So  far  were  they  from  de- 
serving faith ;  which  therefore  whenever  given  is  not 
of  works.  Neither  is  salvation  of  the  works  we  do 
when  we  believe.  For  it  is  then  God  that  worketh  in 
us.  And  therefore,  that  he  giveth  us  a  reward  for 
what  he  himself  worketh,  only  commendeth  the  riches 
of  his   mercy,  but   leaveth  us   nothing   whereof  to 

glory-" 

If  then  "  faith  in  Christ  producing  obedience,  is  a 
cause  without  which  God  elects  none  unto  glory;" 
and  if  "  of  ourselves  cometh  neither  our  faith  nor  our 
salvation,"  "  faith  being  the  gift  of  God,"  and  "he 
giveth  us  a  reward  for  what  he  himself  worketh,"  un- 
less "  he  worketh"  this  faith  in  all,  he  must  have 
selected  those  in  whom  he  works  it.  But  this  is  the 
personal  unconditional  election  of  the  Calvinists.  So 
then  we  have  the  Calvinistic  views  of  that  doctrine, 
sustained  by  Arminians,  by  fact,  and  by  the  word  of 
God.     Surely  then  it  must  be  true. 

Having  disposed  of  two  misrepresentations,  we  pro- 
ceed to  a  third. 

"All  choice,"  says  the  Rev.  R.  Watson,  "neces- 
sarily supposes  some  reason ;  but  as  men,  all  things 
were  equal  between  those,  who  according  to  this 
scheme  were  chosen,  and  those  who  were  passed  by; 
but  according  to  the  Calvinists  this  election  was  made 
23 


266  MISREPRESENTATIONS. 

arbitrarily,  that  is,  without  any  reason,  but  that  God 
would  have  it  so."* 

"  If  misery  had  been  the  exciting  cause,"  says  Dr. 
Fisk,  "  then  as  all  were  equally  miserable,  he  would 
have  elected  them  all."f 

If  then,  "  faith  in  Christ  producing  obedience,  is  a 
cause  without  which  God  elects  none  unto  glory,"  as 
"  all  choice  necessarily  supposes  some  reason,"  and 
"as  all  are  equally  miserable,"  it  follows,  that  unless 
all  were  elected,  the  election  was  made  arbitrarily, 
that  is,  without  any  reason  but  that  God  would  have 
it  80. 

But  were  not  Jacob  and  Esau  equal,  when  "being 
not  yet  born,  neither  having  done  any  good  or  evil, 
that  the  purpose  of  God  according  to  election  might 
stand,  not  of  works,  but  of  him  that  calleth,  it  was 
said  unto  her.  The  elder  shall  serve  the  younger?" 

If  the  position  of  Arminians  be  true,  how  did  it 
happen  that  redemption  was  provided  for  fallen  man 
but  not  for  fallen  angels?  How  did  it  happen  that 
God  passed  by  all  other  nations,  and  made  the  Jews 
only  the  repositories  of  his  word?  Why  was  not 
Eiias  sent  to  any  but  the  widow  of  Sarepta,  a  city  of 
Sidon,  during  the  famine?  Why  were  none  of  the 
lepers  cleansed  but  Naaman  the  Syrian?  No  doubt, 
if  an  Arminian  had  been  there,  he  would  have 
reasoned  thus,  "If  misery  is  the  exciting  cause"  to 
the  divine  compassion,  "then,  as  all"  these  widows 
and  lepers  are  alike  miserable,  they  should  all  be 
elected  to  the  divine  favour.  Again,  if  this  position 
be  correct,  why  were  Paul  and  Silas  forbidden  of 
the  Holy  Ghost  to  preach  the  word  in  Asia,  yet  sent 
for  that  object  into  Macedonia?  And  why  did  our 
Heavenly  Father  pass  by  millions  of  infants,  yet 
sanctify  John  the  Baptist  and  Jeremiah  from  the 


*  Theological  Institutes,  Part  II.  Chap.  xxvi. 
f  Calvinistic  Controversy,  the  Sermon. 


MISKEPRESENTATIONS.  267 

womb  ?  But  although  God  himself  says,  in  reference 
to  such  proceedings,  "I  will  have  mercy  on  whom  I 
will  have  mercy,  and  I  will  have  compassion  on  whom 
I  will  have  compassion;"  "so  that  it  is  not  of  him 
that  willeth  nor  of  him  that  runneth,  but  of  God  that 
showeth  mercy,"  Rom.  ix.  14,  &c. ;  and  although 
the  Saviour  says  in  reference  to  such  proceedings, 
"Even  so.  Father,  for  so  it  seemed  good  in  thy  sight;" 
the  Arminian  "is  very  bold  and  says,"  "all  choice 
necessarily  supposes  some  reason,  but  as  all  things 
were  equal  between  those  who  were  chosen,  and  those 
who  were  passed  by,  this  election  was  made  arbitra- 
rily, that  is,  without  any  reason  but  that  God  would 
have  it  so."  It  is  not  wonderful  therefore  that  John 
Knox  should  say  of  such  writers,  "The  fountain  of 
this  their  heresy  is,  that  they  acknowledge  no  justice 
in  anything,  except  what  their  foolish  brain  is  able  to 
comprehend."* 

It  is  delightful  therefore  to  find  these  divines  sober- 
ing down,  and  teaching  a  better  theology.  The 
Rev.  R.  Watson  says,  "  It  is  the  nature  of  an  infinite 
being  to  be  incomprehensible  by  finite  beings.  He 
must  be  mysterious.  The  train  of  his  glory  must 
enwrap  itself  in  cloud.  And  after  all  these  bursts  of 
splendour,  it  is  still  true  that  '  the  Lord  hath  said  that 
he  would  dwell  in  thick  darkness.'  If  we  could  fully 
know  God,  we  must  either  be  equal  to  him,  or  he 
must  lose  the  glory  of  his  nature  and  come  down  to 
us."  "0  then,  my  God,  let  me  remember  this,  when 
dark  and  inexplicable  dispensations  surround  me  !  I 
cannot  fathom  thy  counsels,  but  I  know  that  in  them 
there  is  the  highest  reason.  Let  me  remember  this, 
when  I  look  abroad  on  thy  public  dispensations  to  the 
world.  If  I  cannot  trace  thy  footsteps  as  to  myself, 
how  much  more  intricate  must  be  thy  plans,  as  to 
millions  of  immortal  men.     But  what  is  dark  to  me 

*  McCrie's  Life  of  Knox,  page  138. 


26S  MISREPRESENTATIONS. 

is  light  to  thee.  .  .  It  is  the  imperfection  of  the 
creature  which  creates  (darkness)  as  the  mists  arising 
from  the  earth,  and  gathering  into  clouds  may  obscure 
the  brightness  of  the  sun,  while  his  own  region  is 
undimmed  by  a  vapour.  .  .  Let  me  remember  this 
when  bold  men  would  tempt  me  to  speculate  by  the 
aids  of  my  own  weak  reason  on  thy  perfections.  I 
shrink  from  the  attempt.  1  content  myself  with  thy 
own  word — with  the  measure  of  light  it  hath  pleased 
thee  to  give.  I  dare  not  break  through  to  gaze  where 
*dark  with  excessive  bright,  thy  skirts  appear.'  "* 

A  fifth  misrepresentation  is,  that  the  divine  de- 
crees, as  maintained  by  Calvinists,  are  "arbitrary;" 
that  is,  without  any  reason. 

"  The  Calvinistic  view  of  God's  sovereignty,"  says 
Watson,  appears  to  be  his  doing  what  he  wills,  only 
because  he  wills  it."t 

"We  call  this  sovereignty,  not  indeed  in  the  sense 
of  many  Calvinistic  writers,  who  appear  to  understand 
by  the  sovereign  acts  of  God,  those  procedures  which 
he  adopts  only  to  show  that  he  has  power  to  execute 
them,"  &c4 

Again,  speaking  of  "the  collective  election,  and 
rejection  taught  in"  the  ninth  chapter  of  Romans,  he 
says,  "  They  are  not  acts  of  arbitrary  will,  or  of  ca- 
price ;  they  are  acts  of  wisdom  and  knowledge,  the 
mysterious  bearings  of  which  are  to  be  in  futur6  times 
developed.  '0  the  depth  both  of  the  wisdom  and 
knowledge  of  God,  how  unsearchable  are  his  judg- 
ments, and  his  ways  past  finding  out!'  These  are 
the  devout  expressions  with  which  St.  Paul  concludes 
his  discourse ;  but  they  would  ill  apply  to  the  sove- 
reign, arbitrary  and  unconditional  reprobation  of  men 
from  God's  mercies,  in  time  and  in  eternity,  on  the 
principle  of  taking  some  and  leaving  others  without 

*  Sermon  on  the  "Vision  of  Isaiah." 

f  Theological  Institutes,  Part  II.  Chap,  xxviii. 

X  Ibid.  Part  II.  Chap.  xxvi. 


MISREPRESENTATIONS.  269 

any  reason  in  themselves.  There  is  no  plan  in  this; 
no  wisdom  ;  no  mystery ;  and  it  is  capable  of  no  further 
development  for  the  instruction  and  benefit^  of  the 
world.  For  that  which  rests  originally  on  no  reason, 
but  solely  on  arbitrary  will,  is  incapable,  from  its  very 
nature,  of  becoming  the  component  part  of  a  deeply 
laid,  and  for  a  time,  mysterious  plan,  which  is  to  be 
brightened  into  manifest  wisdom,  and  to  terminate  in 
the  good  of  mankind,  and  the  glory  of  God."* 

•  These  are  specimens  of  what  may  be  found  in  the 
Theological  Institutes.  But  notwithstanding  we  are 
here  told  of  the  "arbitrary  election  of  the  Calvinists," 
of  "sovereign,  arbitrary  reprobation,  on  the  principle 
of  taking  some,  and  leaving  others,  solely  on  arbitrary 
■will;"  of  '''"many  Calvinistic  writers  who  appear  to 
understand  by  the  sovereign  acts  of  God,  those  pro- 
ceedings which  he  adopts  only  to  show  that  he  has 
power  to  execute  them,"  &c.;  the  writer  takes  it 
upon  himself  to  say,  that  these  are  samples  of  the 
slanders  that  abound  in  Arminian  writings,  and  that 
not  a  Calvinistic  writer  can  be  adduced  who  teaches 
any  of  the  things  here  charged.  The  Confession  of 
Faith, >fter  saying,  "there  is  but  one  only  living  and 
true  God,  who  is  infinite  in  being  and  perfection," 
says  of  him,  among  other  things,  that  he  is  "most 
wise,  most  holy,  working  all  things  according  to  the 
counsel  of  his  own  immutable  and  most  righteous  will ; 
hating  all  sin;"  that  "by  the  most  wise,  and  holy 
counsel  of  his  own  will,  he  did  freely  and  unchangably 
ordain  whatsoever  comes  to  pass,"  &c.;  that  he 
"  doth  uphold,  direct,  dispose,  and  govern  all  crea- 
tures, actions,  and  things,  from  the  greatest  even  to 
the  least,  by  his  most  wise  and  holy  providence,  ac- 
cording to  his  infallible  foreknowledge,  and  the  free 
and  immutable  counsel  of  his  own  will,  to  the  praise 
of  the  glory  of  his  wisdom,  power,  justice,  goodness 

*  Theological  Institutes,  part  II.  Chap.  xxvi. 

23* 


270'  MISREPRESENTATIONS. 

and  mercy;"  that  "the  Almighty  power,  unsearch- 
able wisdom,  and  infinite  goodness  of  God,  so  far  mani- 
fest tlfemselves  in  his  providence,  that  it  extendeth 
itself  to  the  first  fall,  not  by  a  bare  permission,  but 
such  as  hath  joined  with  it  a  most  wise  and  powerful 
bounding,  and  otherwise  ordering  and  governing  of 
them,  in  a  manifold  dispensation  to  his  holy  ends."* 
Calvinists  do  not  believe,  therefore,  that  there  is,  or 
can  be,  any  "arbitrary  decree"  or  act,  by  such, a 
being.  In  such  a  God,  they  can  repose  under  all  cir- 
cumstances. And  though  "clouds  and  darkness  are 
round  about  him,"  and  they  meet  with  many  things 
in  his  word,  and  in  his  providence,  they  do  not  under- 
stand, yet  with  the  holy  Apostle  they  exclaim,  "  0 
the  depth  of  the  riches,  both  of  the  wisdom  and  know- 
ledge of  God ;  how  unsearchable  are  his  judgments, 
and  his  ways  past  finding  out."  Rom.  xi.  33. 

But  we  say  further,  that  neither  are  any  of  the 
errors  here  charged,  taught  by  John  Calvin.  As 
against  him,  there  is  a  special  charge,  and  as  it  em- 
braces the  others  last  named,  we  will  give  that  charge 
a  special  consideration. 

Mr.  Watson,  after  his  statement  of  "the  scheme,  as 
exhibited  by  Calvin,"  says,  "  To  the  objection  taken 
from  justice,  Calvin  replies,"  'They  (the  objectors) 
inquire,  by  what  right  the  Lord  is  angry  with  his 
creatures  who  had  not  provoked  him  by  any  previous 
offence;  for  to  devote  to  destruction  whom  he  pleases, 
is  more  like  the  caprice  of  a  tyrant  than  the  lawful 
sentence  of  a  judge.  If  such  thoughts  ever  enter  into 
the  minds  of  pious  men,  they  will  be  sufficiently  en- 
abled to  break  their  violence  by  this  one  considera- 
tion— how  exceedingly  presumptuous  it  is,  to  inquire 
into  the  causes  of  the  divine  will,  which  is  in  fact,  and 
is  justly  entitled  to  be,  the  cause  of  every  thing  that 
exists !     For  if  it  has  any  cause,  then  there  must  be 

*  Confession  of  Faith,  Chap.  XL— V. 


MISREPRESENTATIONS.  271 

something  antecedent  on  which  it  depends,  which  it  is 
impious  to  suppose.  For  the  will  of  God  is  the 
highest  rule  of  justice;  so  that  what  he  wills  must  be 
considered  just,  for  this  very  reason,  because  he 
wills  it.' 

"The  evasions,"  says  Watson,  "are  here  curious. 
1.'  He  assumes  the  very  thing  in  dispute,  viz.  that 
God  has  willed  the  destruction  of  any  part  of  the  hu- 
man race,  for  no  other  cause  than  because  he  wills 
it;  of  which  assumption,  there  is  not  only  not  a  word 
in  Scripture;  but  on  the  contrary,  all  Scripture  des- 
cribes the  death  of  him  that  dieth  to  his  own  will,  and 
not  to  the  will  of  God,  and  therefore  contradicts  his 
statement.  2.  He  pretends  that  to  assign  any  cause 
to  the  divine  will,  is  to  suppose  something  antecedent 
to,  something  above  God,  and  therefore  'impious;'  as 
if  we  might  not  suppose  something  in  God  to  be  the 
rule  of  his  will,  not  only  without  impiety,  but  with 
truth  and  piety;  as  for  instance,  his  perfect  wisdom, 
holiness,  justice  and  goodness:  or,  in  other  words,  to 
believe  the  exercise  of  his  will  to  flow  from  the  per- 
fection of  his  whole  nature;  a  much  more  honourable 
and  scriptural  view  than  that  which  subjects  it  to  no 
rule,  even  in  the  nature  of  God  himself.  3.  When  he 
calls  the  will  of  God,  'the  highest  rule  of  justice,  be- 
yond which  we  cannot  push  our  inquiries,'  he  con- 
founds the  will  of  God  as  a  rule  of  justice  to  us,  and 
as  a  rule  to  himself.  This  will  is  our  rule,  yet  even 
then,  because  we  know  it  is  the  will  of  a  perfect 
being;  but  when  Calvin  represents  mere  will,  as  con- 
stituting God's  own  rule  of  justice,  he  shuts  out  know- 
ledge, discrimination  of  the  nature  of  things  and 
holiness;  which  is  saying  something  very  different  to 
that  great  truth,  that  God  cannot  will  anything  but 
what  is  perfectly  just.  It  is  to  say,  that  blind  will, 
which  has  no  respect  to  anything  but  itself,  is  God's 
highest  rule  of  justice ;  a  position,  which  if  presented 
abstractedly,  many  of  the  most  ultra  Calvinists  would 


272  MISREPRESENTATIONS. 

spurn.  4.  He  determines  the  question  by  the  autho- 
rity of  his  own  metaphysics,  and  totally  forgets  that 
one  dictum  of  inspiration  overturns  his  whole  theory: 
God  'wille'th  all  men  to  be  saved;'  a  declaration 
which  in  no  part  of  the  sacred  volume  is  limited  by 
any  contrary  declaration."* 

We  could  easily  show  that  these  objections  are  sui- 
cidal, but  as  we  shall  show  that  the  teaching  of  Cal- 
vin is  perverted,  it  is  unnecessary. 

Calvin  says,  "It  is  exceedingly  presumptuous  to 
inquire  into  the  causes  of  the  divine  will,"  "because 
the  will  of  God  is  the  highest  rule  of  justice,  so  that 
•what  he  wills  must  be  considered  just,  for  this  very 
reason,  because  he  wills  it,"  meaning  that,  an  infinite- 
ly wise,  and  just,  and  holy  God,  "  wills  it."  That 
such  is  his  meaning,  is  evident  from  the  fact  that, 
thirteen  lines  below,  what  Mr.  Watson  quotes,  he 
indignantly  repels  what  Mr.  Watson  charges.  "  We 
espouse  not,"  says  he,  "the  notion  of  the  Romish 
theologians  concerning  the  absolute  and  arbitrary 
power  of  God,  (that  is,  power  exercised  by  arbitrary 
will,)  which  on  account  of  its  profaneness,  deserves 
our  detestation.  We  represent  not  God  as  lawless, 
who  is  a  law  to  himself;  because  as  Plato  says,  laws 
are  necessary  to  men,  who  are  the  subjects  of  evil  de- 
sires; but  the  will  of  God  is  not  only  pure  from  every 
fault,  but  the  highest  standard  of  perfection,  even  the 
law  of  all  laws.  But  we  deny  that  we  are  proper 
judges,  to  decide  on  this  cause  according  to  our  own 
apprehensions.  Wherefore,  if  we  attempt  to  go  be- 
yond what  is  lawful,  let  us  be  deterred  by  the  Psalm- 
ist, who  tells  us  that  God  will  be  clear  when  he  is 
judged  by  mortal  man. "f  "Let  us,  I  say,  permit  the 
Christian  man  to  open  his  heart  and  his  ears  to  all 
the  discourses  addressed  to  him  by  God,  only  with 

*  Theological  Institutes,  Part  II.  Chap,  xxviii. 
•j-  Institutes,  Book  III.  Chap,  xxiii. 


MISREPRESENTATIONS.  270 

this  moderation,  that  as  soon  as  the  Lord  closes  his 
sacred  mouth,  he  shall  also  desist  from  further  inqui- 
ry. This  will  be  the  best  barrier  of  sobriety,  if  in 
learning,  we  not  only  follow  the  leadings  of  God,  but 
as  soon  as  he  ceases  to  teach,  we  give  up  our  design 
of  learning."* 

From  this  it  appears,  that  what  Mr.  Watson  charges 
on  Calvin,  Calvin  calls  profane,  and  says  it  deserves 
detestation. 

It  may  not  be  amiss  to  remark,  that  the  very  objec- 
tions urged  by  Mr.  Watson,  were  urged  against  Cal- 
vin's teachings  in  Calvin's  day.  Let  us  see  how  he 
replied  to  his  calumniator. 

"  The  first  article  you  take  hold  of  is,  that  God,  by 
a  simple  and  pure  act  of  his  will,  created  the  greatest 
part  of  the  world  for  destruction.  Now  all  that  about 
the  greatest  part  of  the  wor^d,  and  the  simple  pure 
act  of  the  will  of  God,  is  fictitious,  and  the  product  of 

the  workshop  of  your  malice This  way  of 

talking  is  nowhere  to  be  met  with  in  my  writings, 
viz.  that  the  end  of  creation  is  eternal  destruction.  .  . 
Besides,  though  the  will  of  God  is  to  me  the  highest 
of  all  reasons,  yet  I  everywhere  teach,  that  where  the 
reason  of  his  counsels  and  his  works  does  not  appear, 
the  reason  is  hid  with  him ;  so  that  he  always  decreed 
justly  and  wisely.  Therefore,  I  not  only  reject,  I  de- 
test the  trifling  of  the  schoolmen,  about  absolute  pow- 
er, because  they  separate  his  justice  from  his  authori- 
ty. I  subjecting,  as  I  do,  the  human  race  to  the 
will  of  God,  loudly  declare  that  he  decreed  nothing 
without  the  best  reason,  which  if  unknown  to  us  now, 
shall  be  cleared  up  at  last.  You,  thrusting  forward, 
a  'simple  and  pure  act  of  the  will,'  impudently  up- 
braid me  with  that  which  I  openly  reject,  in  a  hun- 
dred places  or  more."t 

We  have  now  heard  from  Calvin,  let  us  hear  from 
the  sacred  writers  also. 

*  Institutes,  Chap.  xxi.  f  Secret  Providence,  pp.  17,  18. 


274  MISREPRESENTATIONS. 

*'  Of  his  own  will  he  begat  us  by  the  word  of  truth." 
James  i.  18.  "Having  predestinated  us  unto  the 
adoption  of  children  by  Jesus  Christ  to  himself,  ac- 
cording to  the  good  pleasure  of  his  will."  "Being 
predestinated  according  to  the  purpose  of  him  who 
worketh  all  things  after  the  counsel  of  his  own  will." 
Eph.  i.  5,  11. 

Why,  this  is  fully  up  to  Calvin.  Not  a  reason  is 
assigned  for  what  is  done  but  "  his  will,"  "  the  good 
pleasure  of  his  will,"  "  according  to  the  counsel  of  his 
own  will,"  "  as  if  we  might  not  suppose  something  in 
God  to  be  the  rule  of  his  will;  as  for  instance,  his  per- 
fect wisdom,  justice  and  goodness,  or  in  other  words,  to 
believe  the  exercise  of  his  will  to  flow  from  the  per- 
fection of  his  whole  nature  ;  a  much  more  honourable 
and  scriptural  view,  than  that  which  subjects  it  to  no 
rule,  even  in  the  nature  of  God  himself."  "When 
(the  Apostles)  represent  mere  will,  as  constituting 
God's  rule  of  justice,  they  shut  out  knowledge,  dis- 
crimination of  the  nature  of  things,  and  holiness, 
which  is  saying  something  very  different  from  that 
great  truth,  that  God  cannot  will  anything  but  what 
is  perfectly  just.  It  is  to  say  that  blind  will  which 
has  respect  to  anything  but  itself,  is  God's  highest 
rule  of  justice ;  a  position  which,  if  presented  ab- 
stractedly, many  of  the  most  ultra"  (Apostles) 
"would  spurn."* 

The  "judgments  of  God  are  a  mighty  deep,"  "his 
"wisdom  is  unsearchable  and  his  ways  past  finding 
out."  "  He  giveth  to  none  account  of  his  affairs," 
and  "it  is  his  glory  to  conceal  a  thing."  As  then, 
"the  secret  things  belong  unto  the  Lord  our  God, 
"while  that  which  is  revealed  belongeth  unto  us,  and 
to  our  children  for  ever,  that  we  may  do  all  the  words 
of  this  law,"  Calvin  did  not  "desire  to  be  wise  above 
"what  was  written."     He  therefore  taught  that    the 

*  Theological  Institutes,  Part  II.  Chap,  xxviii. 


MrSREPRESENTATIONS.  275 

will  of  an  infinitely  wise,  and  just,  and  holy  "  God,  is 
the  highest  rule  of  justice;  so  that  what  he  -w^Us  must 
be  considered  just,  because  he  wills  it;"  that  such  a 
"God  is  a  law  unto  himself,  his  will  being  not  only 
free  from  every  fault,  but  the  highest  standard  of 
perfection,  even  the  law  of  laws,"  and  therefore  that 
"it  is  exceedingly  presumptuous  in  men  to  inquire 
after  the  reasons  for  what  he  wills,  further  than  he 
has  been  pleased  to  reveal  them."  But  Calvinism  is 
very  much  objected  to;  it  may  not  be  amiss  therefore, 
to  hear  what  Arminians  say  on  the  same  subject. 

"In  creatures,"  says  Watson,  "holiness  is  confor- 
mity to  the  will  of  God  as  expressed  in  his  laws,  aYid 
consists  in  abstinence  from  every  thing  which  has 
been  comprehended  under  the  general  term  sin,  and 
in  the  habit  and  practice  of  righteousness.  .  .  .  Our 
conception  of  holiness  in  creatures,  both  in  its  nega- 
tive, and  in  its  positive  import,  is  therefore  explicit. 
It  is  determined  by  the  will  of  God.  But  when  we 
speak  of  God,  we  speak  of  a  being  who  is  a  law  unto 
himself,  and  whose  conduct  cannot  be  referred  to  a 
higher  authority  than  his  own."* 

"  Of  a  being  who  is  a  law  unto  himself,  and  whose 
conduct  cannot  be  referred  to  a  higher  authority  than 
his  own !" — Of  course  then,  it  would  be  the  height  of 
presumption  in  the  subjects  of  such  a  being,  to  inquire 
after,  or  judge  of  his  reasons  for  what  he  wills,  further 
than  he  has  been  pleased  to  reveal  them.  Here  then, 
is  the  real  (though  not  the  shamefully  misrepresented) 
teaching  of  Calvin,  by  Mr.  Watson  himself. 

Again.  "  In  many  respects,  so  far  as  we  are  con- 
cerned, we  see  no  other  reasons  for  his  proceedings, 
than  that  he  so  wills  to  act."f 

"  No  other  reason  for  his  proceedings,  than  that  he 
so  wills  to  act !" — Why,  Mr.  Watson !  what  do  you 

*  Theological  Institutes,  Part  II.  Chap.  vii. 
f  Ibid.  Part  II.  Chap,  xxviii. 


276  MISREPRESENTATIONS. 

mean  ?  Is  it  possible,  after  all  your  fuss  about  "blind 
arbitrary  will,"  "the  arbitrary  decrees  of  his  will," 
&c.,  and  the  fuss  of  your  brethren  who  endorse  your 
sentiments,  that  you  yourself  go  further  than  the  fur- 
thest, in  charging  the  Almighty  with  "  the  arbitrary 
decrees  of  his  will." 

How  then,  it  may  be  asked,  does  Mr.  Watson  ex- 
tricate himself?  Why,  by  turning  a  Calvinist.  But 
hear  him,  in  continuation  of  what  we  have  just  quoted: 
"  But  it  is  an  error  to  conclude  from  want  of  informa- 
tion in  such  cases,  that  God  acts,  merely  because  he 
so  wills  to  act,  that  because  he  gives  not  those  reasons 
for  his  conduct  which  we  have  no  right  to  demand, 
that  he  acts  without  any  reasons  at  all;  and  because 
we  are  not  admitted  to  the  secrets  of  his  council  cham- 
ber, that  his  government  is  perfectly  arbitrary,  and 
that  the  mainspring  of  his  dispensations  is  to  make  a 
show  of  his  power;  a  conclusion  which  implies  a  most 
unworthy  notion  of  God,  which  he  has  himself  contra- 
dicted in  the  most  explicit  manner.  Even  his  most 
mysterious  proceedings  are  called  'judgments,'  and 
he  is  said  to  '  work  all  things  according  to  the  coun- 
sel of  his  own  will,'  a  collation  of  words  which  suf- 
ficiently shows  that  not  blind  will,  but  will  subject  to 
'  counsel,'  is  that  '  sovereign  will  that  governs  the 
world.'  " 

Having  noticed  some  of  the  glaring  misrepresenta- 
tions by  Messrs.  Fisk  and  Watson,  and  which  have 
been  endorsed  by  the  General  Conference,  before  we 
proceed  to  others,  by  other  writers  of  the  same  school, 
we  wish  to  call  the  attention  of  the  reader  to  the  profes- 
sions of  fairness  and  candour  of  the  said  writers. 

Dr.  Fisk  says,  in  his  preliminary  remarks,  "It  ia 
hoped,  at  least,  that  the  subject  may  be  investigated 
in  the  spirit  of  Christianity,  and  that  there  will  be  no 
loss  of  brotherly  love  and  Christian  candour,  if  there 
be  no  gain  on  the  side  of  truth."* 

f  Calvinistic  Controversy,  pp.  7,  8, 


MISREPRESENTATIONS.  277 

Mr.  Watson,  speaking  of  the  "extent  of  the  atone- 
ment," says,  "This  inquiry  leads  us  into  what  is 
called  the  Calvinistic  controversy;  a  controversy 
which  has  always  been  conducted  with  great  ardour, 
and  sometimes  with  intemperance.  I  shall  endeavour 
to  consider  such  parts  of  it,  as  are  comprehended  in 
the  question  before  us,  with  perfect  calmness  and  fair- 
ness, &c.,  recollecting  on  the  one  hand,  how  many 
excellent  and  learned  men  have  been  arranged  on 
each  side By  many  ministers  who  have  at- 
tacked this  system,  the  truth  which  it  contains,  as  well 
as  the  error,  has  often  been  invaded,  and  the  assault 
itself  has  been  not  unfrequently  conducted  on  princi- 
ples exceedingly  anti-scriptural  and  fatally  delusive."* 

Again:  after  having  carried  his  inquiry  through 
three  successive  chapters,  he  says,  "  In  this  discourse 
it  is  hoped  that  no  expression  has  hitherto  escaped  in- 
consistent with  candour.  Doctrinal  truth  ^ould  be  as 
little  served  by  this  as  Christian  charity."f 

The  reader  can  judge  how  far  these  writers  have 
acted  in  accordance  with  their  professions. 

Perhaps  the  following,  from  the  Encyclopoedla  of 
Religious  Knowledge,  article  "Richard  Watson," 
may  throw  some  light  on  Mr.  Watson's  course. 

"We  can  discover,  we  think,  the  embryo  polemic, 
in  the  youth  of  fifteen ;  for  he  owed  at  this,  the 
period  of  his  conversion,  his  hatred  to  Calvinism. 
The  worthy  helpmate  of  a  watchmaker,  his  particular 
friend  and  assistant  in  mathematical  studies,  was  of 
this  obnoxious  school,  'talkative  and  violent.'  To 
provide  himself  with  arguments  against  her  attacks, 
young  Watson  first  sought  the  Methodists,  and  'the 
word,'  says  Mr.  Jackson,  '  came  with  power  to  his 
heart.'  He  was  now  no  longer  solicitous  for  contro- 
versy, but  for  a  better  acquaintance  with  himself;  and 

*  Theological  Institutes,  Part  II.  Chap.  xxv. 
•}•  Ibid.  Part  II.  Chap,  xxviii. 

24 


278  MISREPRESENTATIONS. 

not  many  days  elapsed,  after  he  was  convinced  of  sin, 
before  he  was  made  a  happy  partaker  of  pardoning 
grace. 

"  We  can  neither  doubt  that  he  largely  partook  of 
this  grace,  nor  that  he  was  in  after  years  one  of  the 
ripest  and  ablest  advocates  of  it  in  England.  But 
who,  on  the  other  hand,  can  dispute  the  powerful 
influence  of  the  female  polemic's  unhappy  temper  on 
the  thwarted  young  mathematician  ?  Mr.  Watson,  in 
particular  passages  of  his  printed  works,  discovers  an 
antipathy  to  the  name  and  forms  of  Calvinistic  argu- 
ment, which  has,  we  confess,  often  surprised  us.  It 
is  singularly  unlike  the  ordinary  march  of  his  majestic 
mind,  and  the  style  of  his  latter  preaching,  as  report- 
ed to  us.  Will  not  a  Christian  philosophy  detect  in 
many  a  personal  anecdote  of  this  kind,  a  very  obvious 
source  of  prejudices,  not  otherwise  to  be  accounted 
for?" 

But  again,  Mr.  Wesley,  in  his  sermon  on  "The 
Trinity,"  says,  "Persons  may  be  quite  right  in  their 
opinions,  and  yet  have  no  religion  at  all.  And  on 
the  other  hand,  persons  may  be  truly  religious  who 
hold  many  erroneous  opinions.  Can  any  one  possibly 
doubt  of  this  while  there  are  any  Romanists  in  the 
world  ?  For  who  can  deny,  not  only  that  many  of  them 
formerly  have  been  truly  religious,  but  that  many  of 
them  even  at  this  day,  are  real  inward  Christians? 
And  yet  what  a  heap  of  erroneous  opinions  do  they 
hold,  delivered  by  tradition  from  their  fathers !  Nay, 
who  can  doubt  of  it  while  there  are  Calvinists  in  the 
world — asserters  of  absolute  predestination?  For 
who  will  dare  to  affirm  that  none  of  these  are  truly 
religious  men?  Not  only  many  of  them  in  the  last 
century  were  burning  and  shining  lights,  but  many  of 
them  are  now  real  Christians,  loving  God  and  all 
mankind.  And  yet  what  are  all  the  absurd  opinions 
of  all  the  Romanists  in  the  world  compared  to  that 
one,  that  the  God  of  love,  the  wise,  the  just,  merciful 


MISREPRESENTATIONS.  279 

Father  of  the  spirits  of  all  flesh,  has  from  all  eternity, 
fixed  an  absolute,  unchangeable,  irresistible  decree, 
that  part  of  mankind  shall  be  saved,  do  what  they 
will,  and  the  rest  damned,  do  what  they  can?" 

"A  skeptical  author,"  says  Bishop  Morris,  "is  a 
sinner  that  destroys  much  good."  Verbal  sayings 
are  soon  forgotten,  but  printed  sophistry  fills  with 
poison  the  veins  of  future  generations.  With  poison? 
Yes,  what  better  than  moral  poison  are  the  sophisms 
of  infidels,  such  as  Volney,  Hume,  and  Paine;  or 
the  dogmas  of  Arianism  and  Socinianism,  such  as 
are  commonly  found  in  the  productions  of  Unitarians, 
Universalists,  Hicksites,  and  Shakers;  or  in  the 
idolatrous  ceremonies  of  Popery;  as  bowing  to 
images,  praying  to  saints,  and  the  worship  of  the 
host  in  the  mass?  And  we  ask,  what  better  than 
moral  poison,  are  a  few  distinctive  features  in  Cal- 
vinism, such  as  (that)  "God  from  all  eternity,  did 
freely  and  unchangeably  foreordain  whatsoever  comes 
to  pass?*  Of  a  piece  with  this,  are  the  immutable 
decrees  of  unconditional  election,  and  reprobation. 
What  mischief  have  these  various  doctrines  done  to 
the  souls  of  men !  by  the  printing  or  circulating  of 
which,  a  man  destroys  much  good  that  might  other- 
wise be  effected. "t 

The  doctrines  here  charged,  however,  have  been 
shown  to  be,  not  of  the  Presbyterian  but  of  the  Me- 
thodist Church.  These  Popish,  Socinian,  and  Infidel 
companions,  of  course  belong  to  Arminians,  but  not 
to  Calvinists.  The  bishop  and  the  archbishop  have 
saddled  the  wrong  horse,  merely. 

Again,  in  Mr.  Wesley's  Works,  Vol.  V.,  page  238, 
we  have  the  following  in  reference  to  Calvinism,  viz. 
"  It  seems  to  magnify  Christ,  although  in  reality  it 
supposes  him  to  have  died  in  vain.    For  the  absolutely 

*  Here  Bishop  Morris  garbles,  and  thus  perverts  the  Confession 
of  Faith, 
f  Sermon  on  the  Achievements  of  Sinners. 


28(^  MISREPRESENTATIONS. 

elect,  must  have  been  saved  without  him,  and  the  non- 
elect  cannot  be  saved  by  him." 

To  prove  this  to  be  slander,  would  seem  to  be  a 
work  of  supererogation;  still  it  may  not  be  altogether 
amiss,  as  we  intend  to  do  our  work  thoroughly. 

The  answer  to  the  sixtieth  question  of  the  Larger 
Catechism  of  the  Presbyterian  Church,  says  (among 
other  things,)  "Neither  is  their  salvation  in  any  other, 
but  in  Christ  alone."  To  sustain  this  answer,  refer- 
ence is  made  to  Acts  iv.  12,  which  is  as  follows,  viz. 
"  Neither  is  there  salvation  in  any  other :  for  there  is 
none  other  name  under  heaven  given  among  men 
whereby  we  must  be  saved."* 

-  Two  very  brief  passages  from  Calvin,  out  of  very 
many  that  might  be  given,  will  show  conclusively 
what  were  his  views  on  this  subject. 

"Christ,"  says  he,  "speaks  not  of  his  own  time 
only,  but  comprehends  all  ages,  when  he  says,  '  This 
is  eternal  life,  to  know  thee,  the  only  true  God,  and 
Jesus  Christ  whom  thou  hast  sent.'  John  xvii.  3. 
Therefore  God  never  showed  himself  propitious  to 
his  ancient  people,  nor  afforded  them  any  hope  of  his 
favour  without  a  mediator. "f 

These  quotations,  which  might  be  increased  to  al- 
most any  number,  suflfice  to  show  that  Mr.  Wesley 
could  not  have  made  a  statement  more  directly  at  war 
with  the  truth.     But  we  must  proceed. 

In  the  Doctrinal  Tracts,  page  26,  the  Calvinist  is 
charged  as  follows,  viz.  "  In  making  this  supposition 
of  what  God  might  have  done,  (viz.  "have  passed 
him  by,")  "you,"  (the  Calvinist,)  "  suppose  his  justice 
might  have  been  separated  from  his  other  attributes, 
from  his  mercy  in  particular." 

By  no  means.  The  Calvinist  does  not  think  so. 
He  thinks  such  a  proposition  blasphemous,  but  we 

*  Confession  of  Faith,  page  175. 
■j-  Institutes,  Book  II.  Cliap.  vi. 


MISREPRESENTATIONS.  281 

find  that  doctrine  taught  in  the  Methodist  Doctrinal 
Tracts,  and  that  too  in  the  same  Tract  in  which  it  ia 
charged  against  Calvinists.  Thus  they  say,  page  57, 
"  The  sovereignty  of  God  appears,  1.  In  fixing  from 
eternity  that  decree  touching  the  sons  of  men — '  Ho 
that  believeth  shall  be  saved,  he  that  believeth  not, 
shall  be  damned.'  2.  In  all  the  general  circum- 
stances of  creation;  in  the  time,  the  place,  manner  of 
creating  all  things;  in  appointing  the  number  and 
kinds  of  creatures,  visible  and  invisible.  3.  In  allot- 
ting the  natural  endowments,  these  to  one,  and  those 
to  another.  4.  In  disposing  the  time,  place,  and 
other  outward  circumstances  (as  parents,  relations) 
attending  the  birth  of  every  one.  5.  In  dispensing 
the  various  gifts  of  his  Spirit  for  the  edification  of  hia 
Church.  6.  In  ordering  all  temporal  things,  as  health, 
fortune,  friends,  every  thing  short  of  eternity.  But 
in  disposing  the  eternal  states  of  men  (allowing  only 
what  was  observed  under  the  first  article,)  it  is  clear, 
that  not  sovereignty  alone,  but  justice,  mercy  and  truth 
hold  the  reins." 

Here  then,  it  is  stated  that  the  sovereignty  of 
God  appears  in  ordering  all  temporal  things;  "but  in 
disposing  the  eternal  states  of  men,  not  sovereignty 
alone,  but  justice,  mercy  and  truth  hold  the  reins." 
It  is  therefore  a  doctrine  of  the  Methodist  Church,  that 
God  is  sovereign  only  in  reference  to  the  affairs  of 
time,  but  both  sovereign  and  just  in  reference  to  the 
things  of  eternity.  Or  in  other  words,  unjust  in  time, 
but  just  in  eternity.  The  reader  must  not  suppose 
that  Arminians  hold  to  no  other  doctrine  on  this  sub- 
ject. If  they  did,  however  erroneous,  they  would  be 
consistent.  In  the  same  Tract  they  say,  on  pages  26 
and  31,  "  All  his"  (God's)  "  attributes  are  inseparably 
joined;  they  cannot  be  divided  for  a  moment." 
"  Take  care,  when  you  speak  of  these  high  things,  to 
speak  as  the  oracles  of  God ;  and  if  so,  you  will  never 

24* 


282  MISREPRESENTATIONS. 

speak  of  the  sovereignty  of  God,  but  in  conjunction 
with  his  other  attributes." 

The  writer  is  here  reminded  of  a  man  he  once  knew, 
who,  being  a  notorious  offender  in  little  things,  built 
his  house  directly  over  the  county  line;  consequently, 
when  a  civil  officer  came  from  one  county  to  arrest 
him,  he  (the  offender,)  would  go  into  that  part  of  his 
house  which  was  in  the  other  county,  and  politely  in- 
vite the  officer  in.  The  reader  can  make  the  applica- 
tion. 

Some  years  ago  a  sect  sprung  up  in  the  West, 
which  after  a  time,  met  in  convention  to  make  out  a 
creed.  After  an  eflFort  of  several  days  they  unani- 
mously agreed  on  the  following,  viz.  "Our  belief 
consists  in  that  wherein  we  differ  from  other"  denomi- 
nations." Notwithstanding  the  editor  of  the  Western 
Christian  Advocate  says,  in  a  late  editorial,*  "A 
thorough  revision  of  the  Westminster  Confession  of 
Faith,  embodying  Wesleyan  doctrines,  and  expurga- 
ting the  Manichean  elements,  would  be  a  noble  work, 
and  then  the  Confession  of  Faith  would  be  the  master- 
piece of  the  world;"  he  who  undertakes  "an  embodi- 
ment of  Wesleyan  doctrines,"  will  find  it  a  Herculean 
task,  and  the  embodiment  to  consist  of  as  heteroge- 
neous materials  as  could  be  thrown  together. 

Again,  in  the  Doctrinal  Tracts,  page  127,  we 
have  the  following,  viz. 

"  Some  roundly  assert,  there  are  no  calls  ofgrace, 
no  offers  at  all,  in  the  word  of  God,  to  any  but  the 
elect." 

'  Some  roundly  assert" — but  these  are  not  named, 
nor  (as  the  writer  believes)  were  they  ever  heard  of. 

Again  :  "  As  this  doctrine  manifestly  and  directly 
tends  to  overthrow  the  whole  Christian  Revelation, 
so  it  does  the  same  thing  by  plain  consequence,  in 
making  that  revelation  contradict  itself.     For  it  is 

*  See  a  number  of  that  paper  for  November,  1853. 


MISREPRESENTATIONS.  283 

grounded  on  such  an  interpretation  of  some  texts, 
(more  or  fewer,  it  matters  not)  as  flatly  contradicts 
all  the  other  texts,  and,  indeed,  the  whole  scope  and 
tenor  of  Scripture.  For  instance:  the  asserters  of 
this  doctrine,  interpret  that  text  of  Scripture,  '  Jacob 
have  I  loved,  and  Esau  have  I  hated,'  as  implying 
that  God  in  a  literal  sense  hated  Esau,  and  all  the 
reprobate  from  eternity." 

Here  again,  is  mere  assertion  without  reference  to 
any  authority  to  sustain  it.  The  writer  has  examined 
the  Calvinistic  commentaries  he  has  access  to,  and 
not  one  of  them  interprets  the  passage  as  is  charged, 
but  contrary.  So  far  as  he  is  aware,  the  following  is 
substantially  the  interpretation  of  all  Calvinists,  viz. 
In  Gen.  xxix.  33,  Leah  says  she  was  hated  of  her 
husband;  while  in  the  30th  verse,  Moses  says, 
"  Jacob  loved  Rachel  more  than  Leah."  In  Luke 
xiv.  26,  our  Saviour  says,  "  If  any  man  come  to  me, 
and  hate  not  his  father  and  mother,  and  wife,  and 
children,  and  brethren,  and  sisters,  yea,  and  his  own 
life  also,  he  cannot  be  my  disciple."  While  he  says 
again,  in  Mat.  x.  37,  John  xii.  25,  "  He  that  loveth 
father  or  mother  more  than  me,  is  not  worthy  of  me, 
and  he  that  loveth  son  or  daughter  more  than  me,  is 
not  worthy  of  me."  "  He  that  loveth  his  life  shall 
lose  it,  and  he  that  hateth  his  life  in  this  world  shall 
keep  it  unto  life  eternal."  As,  therefore,  when 
Jacob  is  said  to  have  loved  Rachel  and  hated  Leah, 
all  that  ifi  meant  is,  that  he  loved  Leah  less  than  he 
loved  Rachel;  and  when  it  is  said,  "except  a  man 
hate  his  father  and  his  mother,  &c.,  he  cannot  be  a 
disciple  of  Christ,"  all  that  is  meant  is,  that  he  must 
love  them  less  than  he  loves  Christ ;  so  also  when 
God  is  said  to  have  loved  Jacob  and  hated  Esau,  all 
that  is  meant  is,  that  he  loved  Esau  less  than  he 
loved  Jacob. 

Again,   in   the   Doctrinal   Tracts,  page  157,   the 
following  question  is  proposed  to  Calvinists,  viz. 


!lS84  MISREPRESENTATIONS. 

"Do  you  not  believe  God  hardens  the  hearts  of 
them  that  perish?  Do  you  not  believe  he  (literally) 
hardened  Pharaoh's  heart,  and  that  for  this  end  he 
raised  him  up,  (or  created  him?") 

To  this  we  reply,  first,  that  the  words  "literally" 
and  "  or  created  him,"  are  not  used  by  either  Moses 
or  Paul.  In  the  case  referred  to,  they  are  to  be  set 
down  as  Arminian  interpolations.  Divested  of  these, 
Calvinists  receive  the  passage. 

As  to  "literally  hardening,"  &c.,  the  writer  knows 
of  nothing  that  looks  more  that  way,  than  the 
following  from  Dr.  Fisk,  viz.  "  God  blinds  men  and 
hardens  their  hearts  judicially,  as  a  just  punishment 
for  their  abuse  of  their  agency."* 

But  again:  "The  Calvinists  believe,"  says  Wesley, 
"  that  the  saving  grace  of  God  is  absolutely  irresist- 
ible, that  no  man  is  any  more  able  to  resist  it  than 
a  stroke  of  lightning."f 

"You  say,  the  reprobates  cannot  but  do  evil;  and 
that  the  elect,  from  the  day  of  God's  power,  cannot 
but  continue  in  well  doing.  You  suppose  all  this  is 
unchangeably  decreed,  in  consequence  whereof  God 
acts  irresistibly  on  one,  and  Satan  on  the  other," 
"so  that  your  supposition  of  God's  ordaining  from 
eternity  whatsoever  should  be  done  to  the  end  of  the 
world,  as  well  as  that  of  God's  acting  irresistibly  in 
the  elect,  and  Satan's  acting  irresistibly  in  the  repro- 
bates, utterly  overthrows  the  Scripture  doctrine  of 
rewards  and  punishments,  as  well  as  of  a  judgment 
to  come. "J 

Again,  on  page  49,  the  Calvinist  is  represented  as 
saying,  "It  is  not  so  much  for  the  glory  of  God  to 
save  a  man  as  a  free  agent,  put  into  a  capacity  of 
either  concurring  with,  or  resisting  his  grace,  as  to 


*  Calvinistic  Controversy,  the  Sermon, 
f  Works,  Vol.  VI.  page  134. 
j  Doctrinal  Tracts,  pp.  37,  38. 


MISREPRESENTATIONS.  285 

save  him  in  the  way  of  a  necessary  agent,  by  a 
power  which  he  cannot  possibly  resist." 

The  sum  of  all  is,  that  according  to  Calvinists,  the 
elect  are  irresistibly  compelled  to  be  holy,  and  the 
reprobate  irre§istibly  compelled  to  sin ;  or  that 
**God  acts  irresistibly  on  one,  and  Satan  on  the 
other." 

To  this  we  reply — these  divines  teach  themselves, 
as  has  been  already  shown,  that  God  cannot  control 
free  agents  without  destroying  their  free  agency, 
while  the  devil  can — ^that  there  are  some  only  whom 
he  can  "  conform  to  the  image  of  his  Son,"  and  yet 
that  "there  are  exempt  cases  wherein  the  over- 
whelming power  of  divine  grace  does,  for  a  time, 
work  as  irresistibly  as  lightning  from  heaven ;"  and 
that,  in  some  souls,  "  the  grace  of  God  is  so  far  irre- 
sistible that  they  cannot  but  believe  and  be  finally 
saved."  And  yet  these  men  charge  Calvinists  with 
teaching  that  "  God  acts  irresistibly  on  the  elect,  and 
Satan  irresistibly  on  the  reprobate." 

Finally :  "  This  doctrine  (viz.  personal  uncon- 
ditional election)  is  highly  injurious  to  Christ  our 
mediator,  and  to  the  efficacy  and  excellency  of  his 
gospel.  For  it  supposes  his  mediation  to  be  neces- 
sarily of  none  effect  with  regard  to  the  salvation  of 
the  greatey  part  of  the  world."* 

"They"  (Calvinists)  "affirm  that  the  far  lesser 
number  have  received  saving  grace."t 

"  The  same  Lord  over  all  is  rich  in  mercy  to  all 
that  call  upon  him."  Rom.  x.  12.  "But  you"  (the 
Calvinist)  "  say,  No,  he  is  such  only  to  those  for 
whom  Christ  died,  and  those  are  not  all,  but  only  a 
few."t 

In  the  Doctrinal  Tracts,  pp.  139,  140,  Arminians 
tell  us  that  "  God,  from  the  foundation  of  the  world, 
foreknew  all   men   believing   or   not  believing,   and 

*  Doctrinal  Tracts,  p  100.      f  Ibid.  p.  124.      J  Ibid.  p.  167. 


286.  MISREPRESENTATIONS. 

according"  to  this,  his  foreknowledge,  he  chose  or 
elected  all  obedient  believers  as  such,  to  salvation, 
and  refused  or  reprobated  all  disobedient  believers,  as 
such  to  damnation."  As  then  believers  in  any  age 
have  been,  when  compared  with  the  unbelievers,  very 
few,  and  are  likely  to  be  so,  until  the  near  approach 
of,  and  during  the  millennium,  if  we  confine  salvation 
to  them,  Arminians  do  not  teach  that  any  more  will 
be  saved  than  Calvinists  do. 

But  again,  according  to  the  Doctrinal  Tracts, 
*' Faith  and  obedience  is  a  cause  without  which  God 
elects  none  unto  glory."  This  then,  shuts  out  all 
who  die  in  infancy  and  early  childhood.  It  is  true 
the  Doctrinal  Tracts,  and  discipline  of  the  Methodist 
Church,  make  baptized  infants  who  die,  an  exception, 
but  the  number  of  them  is  comparatively  very  small. 
While  then  the  Galvinist  believes  that  all  who  die  in 
faith,  and  in  infancy  and  early  childhood  are  saved, 
which  makes  up  more  than  two-thirds  of  those  who 
die  in  an  age,  it  is  the  Arminian  who  teaches  that  "  the 
efficacy  of  the  gospel,  and  mediation  of  Christ  is 
necessarily  of  none  efiect  to  the  greater  part  of  the 
world,"  that  "the  far  lesser  number  have  received 
saving  grace,"  and  that  God  "is  rich  in  mercy  to  a 
few  only"  of  the  human  family. 

We  have  now  presented  the  reader  with  samples 
of  the  misrepresentations  of  Calvinism,  with  which 
Arminian  writings  abound.  We  think  he  will  con- 
clude with  us,  that  Mr.  Watson  was  correct  when  he 
said,  "By  many  writers  who  have  attacked  this 
system,  the  truth  it  contains  has  been  invaded,  and 
the  assault  itself  has  been  not  unfrequently  conducted 
on  principles  exceedingly  anti-scriptural,  and  fatally 
delusive." 


287 


CHAPTER    XIV. 

GABBLED   QUOTATIOKS. 

The  late  Rev.  Samuel  Miller,  D.  D.,  speaking  of 
Calvinism,  has  correctly  remarked,  that  "no  theolo- 
gical system  was  ever  more  grossly  misrepresented, 
or  more  foully  vilified" — that  "it  would  be  difficult  to 
find  a  writer  or  speaker,  who  has  distinguished  him- 
self by  opposing  it,  who  has  fairly  represented  the 
system,  or  who  really  appeared  to  understand  it; 
that  "they  are  for  ever  fighting  against  a  carica- 
ture."* Let  us  try  to  find  the  starting  point.  First, 
then,  we  will  call  the  reader's  attention  to  their  garb- 
ling of  the  Confession  of  Faith. 

Chap.  iii.  Sec.  1,  of  that  document,  is  as  follows, 
viz.  "God  from  all  eternity  did,  by  the  most  wise 
and  holy  counsel  of  his  own  free  will,  freely  and 
unchangeably  ordain  whatsoever  comes  to  pass,  yet  so 
as  thereby  neither  is  God  the  author  of  sin,  nor  is 
violence  ofiered  to  the  will  of  the  creature,  nor  is  the 
liberty  or  contingency  of  second  causes  takpn  away, 
but  rather  established." 

This,  the  General  Conference  have  garbled  as 
follows,  viz.  "God  from  all  eternity  did  unchange- 
ably ordain  whatsoever  comes  to  pass."t 

So  then,  while  the  Confession  of  Faith  teaches 
that  God's  ordination  is,  "by  the  most  wise  and  holy 
counsel  of  his  own  free  will,"  after  this  Arminian 
garbling,  it  is  ordination  merely,  without  wisdom, 
holiness,  or  counsel.  "There  is  in  it,  no  plan,  no 
wisdom,  no  mystery,  and  it  is  capable  of  no  further 

*  Miller  on  Presbyterianism  and  Baptism,  pp.  26,  27. 
•j-  Doctrinal  Tracts,  p.  8. 


288  GARBLED   QUOTATIONS. 

development  for  the  instruction  and  benefit  of  the 
world."* 

It  may  be  proper  to  remark,  that  this  quotation 
thus  garbled,  may  be  found  several  times  in  the  works 
of  Wesley,  twice  in  the  Doctrinal  Tracts,  page  194, 
and  four  times  in  the  Calvinistic  Controversy,  viz. 
pages  9,  22,  47,  60,  &c.  &c. 

It  is  true,  that  the  first  time  it  appears  in  the 
latter,  and  the  second  time  it  appears  in  the  former, 
reference  is  made  to  the  "Assembly's  Catechism, 
Chap,  iii."  But  as  the  Catechism  is  not  divided  into 
chapters,  nor  is  there  any  question  about  the  divine 
decrees  near  question  third,  there  can  be  no  doubt 
that  Chapter  third  of  the  Confession  of  Faith  was 
intended. 

Again,  in  Chap.  v.  Sec.  4,  of  the  Confession  of 
Faith,  we  have  the  following,  viz. 

"The  almighty  power,  unsearchable  wisdom,  and 
infinite  goodness  of  God,  so  far  manifest  themselves 
in  his  providence,  that  it  extendeth  itself  even  to  the 
first  fall,  and  to  all  other  sins  of  angels  and  men,  and 
that  not  by  a  bare  permission,  but  such  as  hath  joined 
with  it  a  most  wise  and  powerful  bounding,  and  other- 
wise ordering  and  governing  them,  in  a  manifold  dis- 
pensation, to  his  own  holy  ends,  yet  so  as  the  sinful- 
ness thereof  proceedeth  only  from  the  creature  and 
not  from  God,  who  being  most  holy  and  righteous, 
neither  is  nor  can  be  the  author  or  approver  of  sin." 

So  says  the  Confession  of  Faith :  let  us  see  next 
how  this  is  quoted  by  Mr.  Wesley  and  the  General 
Conference. 

In  "A  dialogue  between  a  Predestinarian  and  his 
Friend,"  we  have  the  following,t  viz. 

^'■Friend.     Does  sin  necessarily  come  to  pass? 

^^Predestinarian.     Undoubtedly;  for  the  almighty 

*  Theological  Institutes,  Part  II.  Chap.  xxvi. 
f  See  the  Doctrinal  Tracts,  page  195. 


GARBLED   QUOTATIONS.  289 

power  of  God  extends  itself  to  the  first  fall,  and  to 
all  other  sins  of  angels  and  men."* 

Although  then,  the  Confession  of  Faith  teaches, 
that  the  power,  wisdom  and  goodness  of  God,  so  far 
manifest  themselves  that  his  providence  extends  to 
all  sin,  and  that  although  he  permits  it,  he  is  not  the 
author  or  approver  of  it;  and  further,  that  in  per- 
mitting it,  he  hath  joined  with  the  permission,  a  most 
wise  and  powerful  bounding,  and  otherwise  ordering, 
and  governing  it,  in  a  dispensation  to  his  own  holy 
ends,"  &c.;  these  "sinless"  garblers  make  it  teach, 
that  men  and  angels,  have  by  Almighty  power  been 
forced  to  sin. 

It  is  proper  to  remark,  that  although  the  Catechism 
is  referred  to  here  also,  for  the  reasons  already  given, 
the  Confession  of  Faith  must  have  been  intended. 

Again  :  The  Confession  of  Faith,  Chap.  iii.  Sec.  5, 
is  as  follows,  viz. 

"  Those  of  mankind,  that  are  predestinated  unto 
life,  God,  before  the  foundation  of  the  world  was  laid, 
according  to  his  eternal  and  immutable  purpose,  and 
the  secret  counsel  and  good  pleasure  of  his  will,  hath 
chosen  in  Christ  unto  everlasting  glory,  out  of  his 
mere  free  grace  and  love,  without  any  foresight  of 
faith  or  good  works,  or  perseverance  in  either  of 
them,  or  any  other  thing  in  the  creature,  as  condi- 
tions, or  causes  moving  him  thereunto ;  and  all  to  the 
praise  of  his  glorious  grace." 

Let  us  see  next  how  Mr.  Wesley  and  the  General 
Conference  have  garbled  this. 

"  Those  of  mankind  that  are  predestinated  unto 
life,  God,  before  the  foundation  of  the  world  hath 
chosen  in  Christ,  unto  everlasting  glory,  without  any 
foresight  of  faith  and  good  works."t 

While  then,  the  Confession  of  Faith  teaches,  that 
the  people  of  God  were  chosen  in  Christ  unto  ever- 

*  Assembly's  Catechism,  Chap.  v.  f  Doctrinal  Tracts,  page  8. 

25 


290  GARBLED   QUOTATIONS. 

lasting  glory,  out  of  his  mere  free  grace  and  love, 
without  the  foresight  of  anything  in  them  as  a  condi- 
tion, or  cause,  moving  him  thereto,  these  garblers 
make  it  teach,  that  the  elect  will  be  saved,  do  what 
they  will :  a  doctrine  which  the  Confession  does  not 
teach,  and  which  those  who  adopt  it  abhor. 

Once  more :  The  Confession  of  Faith  says.  Chap, 
iii.  Sec.  7,  "  The  rest  of  mankind,  God  was  pleased 
according  to  the  unsearchable  counsel  of  his  own  will, 
whereby  he  extendeth  or  withholdeth  mercy  as  he 
pleaseth,  for  the  glory  of  his  sovereign  power  over 
his  creatures,  to  pass  by  and  ordain  them  to  dishon- 
our and  wrath  for  their  sin,  to  the  praise  of  his  glori- 
ous justice." 

We  will  see  now  what  garbling  and  mutilating  has 
been  done  to  this  also. 

"  The  rest  of  mankind  God  was  pleased  for  the 
glory  of  his  sovereign  power  over  his  creatures,  to 
pass  by,  and  ordain  them  to  dishonour  and  wrath."* 

Thus  leaving  out  "  the  unsearchable  counsel  of  his 
own  will "  in  the  former  part,  and  "for  their  sin,"  in 
the  latter  part  of  the  section,  and  making  the  trans- 
action a  mere  arbitrary  act  of  sovereign  power,  di- 
rectly contrary  to  the  teaching  of  the  document  itself. 

That  God  does  pass  the  finally  impenitent  by,  and 
ordain  them  to  dishonour  and  wrath  for  their  sin,  is 
not  denied.  As  then  he  actually  does  it,  Calvinists 
contend  that  it  was  not  wrong  for  him  to  decree  to  do 
it  at  any  time  anterior  to  the  event.  But  notwith- 
standing the  General  Conference  tell  us  that  "the 
eternal  decree  is  expressed  in  these  words,  '  he  that 
believeth  not  shall  be  damned  ;'t  that  God,  from  the 
foundation  of  the  world  foreknew  all  men's  believing 
or  not  believing,  and  according  to  this  his  foreknow- 
ledge, refused  or  reprobated  all  disobedient  unbelievers 
as  such  to  damnation;!  they  so  garble  and  mutilate 

*  Doctrinal  Tracts,  page  8.  f  Ibid,  page  15. 

X  Ibid,  page  139. 


GARBLED   QUOTATIONS.  201 

the  Confession  of  Faith  as  to  make  it  teach  that  the 
non-elect  will  be  sent  to  hell,  though  as  holy  as  an- 
gels. 

We  have  now  finished  what  we  wished  to  say  of  the 
garbling  and  mutilating  done  to  the  Confession  of 
Faith.  The  writer  very  seriously  doubts  whether 
the  ingenuity  of  man  could  more  entirely  pervert  the 
meaning  of  any  document.  This  is  doubtless  the 
foundation  of  the  objections  and  misrepresentations 
already  adverted  to. 

We  will,  in  the  next  place,  give  a  few  samples  of 
the  garbling  and  misrepresentations  done  to  other 
Calvinistic  authorities.  And  here  we  acknowledge 
our  indebtedness  to  the  Rev.  William  Annan,  D.  D. 
In  his  "Difl&culties  of  Arminian  Methodism,"  he  has 
pointed  out  some  fifteen  or  more  examples  fully  equal 
to  what  have  already  been  presented. 

In  the  stereotype  edition  of  the  Methodist  Doctri- 
nal Tracts  there  is  "  A  Dialogue  between  a  Predesti- 
narian  and  his  Friend,"  which  is  graced  with  the  fol- 
lowing line,  "  Out  of  thine  own  mouth  will  I  judge 
thee."  The  truth  of  the  motto  we  will  find  as  we  pass 
along.  As  the  perversions  of  the  Confession  of  Faith 
have  been  already  noticed,  in  quoting  them  we  will 
make  no  remarks. 

"  Friend.  Sir,  I  have  heard  that  you  make  God 
the  author  of  all  sin,  and  the  destroyer  of  the  greater 
part  of  mankind  without  mercy. 

*■*■  Predestinarian.  I  deny  it ;  I  only  say  God  did 
from  all  eternity  unchangeably  ordain  whatsoever 
comes  to  pass.* 

'"'■Friend.     Does  sin  necessarily  come  to  pass  ? 

^^  Predestinarian.  Undoubtedly,  for  '  the  almigh- 
ty power  of  God  extends  itself  to  the  first  fall,  and 
to  all  other  sins  of  angels  and  men.'  "f 

The  following  sentiment  is  in  the  same  Dialogue, 

*  Assembly's  Catechism,  Chap.  iii.  f  Ibid.  Chap.  v. 


292  GARBLED   QUOTATIONS. 

ascribed  to  Dr.  Twisse,  the  presiding  oflScer  of  the 
Westminster  Assembly,  viz. 

"All  things  come  to  pass  by  the  efficacious  and 
irresistible  will  of  God." 

But  this  was  one  of  the  charges  of  Arminius  against 
Calvinism,  and  not  the  language  or  sentiment  of  Dr. 
Twisse  at  all.  It  is  true  he  professes  his  willingness 
to  adopt  it  with  certain  explanations,  the  design  of 
which  may  be  learned  from  his  definition  of  the  divine 
decree,  viz.  "The  purpose  of  God  to  do  or  permit 
anything."  Was  there  ever  a  greater  perversion  of 
the  sentiments  of  any  author  ? 

Again:  Zanchius  is  represented  as  teaching  that, 
"  God's  first  constitution  was,  that  some  should  be 
destined  to  eternal  ruin ;  and  to  this  end  their  sins 
were  ordained,  and  a  denial  of  grace  in  order  to  their 
sins."* 

But  the  works  of  Zanchius  contain  no  such  passage 
in  the  place  referred  to,  nor  (as  is  believed,)  any 
where  else.  The  accuracy  of  the  extract,  however, 
may  be  learned  from  the  following,  which  are  the  ex- 
press words  of  the  author,  viz.  "God,  as  he  daily 
permits  the  good  as  well  as  the  wicked  to  fall  into  sin, 
so  also  from  eternity  he  decreed  to  permit  all  men  to 
sin." 

■  We  might  thus  go  on  and  show  how  Calvinistic  au- 
thors fare  in  these  same  hands.  The  reader  who 
may  have  a  desire  to  get  a  further  insight  into  this 
matter,  is  referred  to  the  Appendix  to  Dr.  An- 
nan's book.  What  we  have  given  is  a  sample  of  the 
whole. 

Having  finished  our  notice  of  the  garbling,  mutila- 
ting and  perverting  of  Calvinistic  authorities,  we  will 
in  the  next  place  call  the  reader's  attention  to  the  pro- 
fession of  candour  and  fairness  under  which  these 
things  are  done. 

*  Zanchius  de  Natura  Dei,  pp.  553,  654. 


QARBLED    QUOTATIONS. 

The  Dialogue  from  which  we  have  quoted,  begins 
thus,  "  To  all  predestinarians." 

"  1.  I  am  informed  some  of  you  have  said,  that  the 
following  quotations  are  false — that  these  words  were 
not  spoken  by  these  authors ; — others,  that  they  were 
not  spoken  in  this  sense; — and  others,  that  neither 
you  yourself,  nor  any  true  predestinarian,  ever  did,  or 
ever  would  speak  so. 

"  2.  My  friends,  the  authors  here  quoted  are  well 
known,  in  whom  you  may  read  the  words  with  your 
own  eyes.  And  you  who  have  read  them,  know  in 
your  conscience,  that  they  were  spoken  in  this  sense, 
and  no  other;  nay,  that  this  sense  of  them,  is  profess- 
edly defended  throughout  the  whole  treatises  whence 
they  are  taken."  The  reader  must  make  his  own 
comments.  He  will  doubtless  conclude,  however,  that 
Mr.  Watson  was  correct,  when  he  said,  "By  many 
writers  who  have  attacked  the  system  (of  Calvinism,) 
the  truth  has  often  been  invaded,  and  the  assault  not 
unfrequently  conducted  on  principles  exceedingly  anti- 
scriptural  and  fatally  delusive." 

Having  shown  how  Calvinistic  authorities  are  quoted 
by  Arminian  writers,  it  may  not  be  amiss  to  show  the 
effect  of  giving  a  part  only  of  the  testimony  in  any 
given  case. 

A,  for  example,  tells  his  neighbours  that  he  saw  B 
go  to  the  stable  of  C,  and  take  therefrom  a  horse, 
mount  him,  and  set  out  for  Texas.  Instantly  the  im- 
pression is  made,  that  B  has  stolen  a  horse.  Whereas, 
if  A  had  told  the  whole  truth,  viz.  that  B,  before 
taking  the  horse,  paid  to  C  a  hundred  and  fifty  dollars 
for  him,  no  such  impression  would  have  been  made. 
Notwithstanding  then,  what  he  told  was  true,  inas- 
much as  it  was  not  the  whole  truth,  he  told  a  lie. 

We  will  now  show  that  the  same  result  will  follow, 
when  a  written  document  is  so  quoted  as  to  convey  an 
opposite  meaning  from  that  intended. 

The  fourteenth  Psalm  begins  thus,  "  The  fool  hath 
25* 


294  GARBLED   QUOTATIONS. 

said  in  his  heart,  There  is  no  God."  Drop  the  intro- 
ductory clause  and  it  will  read  thus — "There  is  no 
God."  Take  the  whole  together,  and  that  is  the  say- 
ing of  a  fool. 

Again,  in  2  Samuel  xvii.  23,  it  is  said,  "  And  when 
Ahithophel  saw  that  his  counsel  was  not  followed,  he 
saddled  his  ass,  and  arose,  and  gat  him  home  to  his 
house,  to  his  city,  and  put  his  household  in  order  and 
hanged  himself;"  and  in  Luke  x.  37,  it  is  said,  "Go 
(thou)  and  do  likewise."  Here  then,  according  to 
this  way  of  quoting,  every  man  has  a  command  from 
the  Bible  to  hang  himself,  but  when  the  truth  is  all 
told,  it  is  a  command  to  go,  like  the  good  Samaritan, 
and  help  his  neighbour  in  distress. 

How  Mr.  Wesley  and  the  General  Conference  fare 
in  view  of  these  things,  the  writer  will  not  say.  By 
garbling,  mutilating  and  perverting,  they  make  for 
Calvinists  doctrines  which  the  latter  reject,  and  then 
assail  them  in  the  following  language,  viz.  "  They 
must  believe,  that  in  the  ages  of  eternity,  God  deter- 
mined to  create  men  and  angels  for  the  express  pur- 
pose of  damning  them  eternally  !  That  he  determin- 
ed to  introduce  sin,  and  influence  men  to  commit  it, 
and  harden  them  in  it,  that  they  might  be  fit  subjects 
of  his  wrath!  That  for  doing  as  they  were  impelled 
to  do,  by  the  irresistible  decree  of  Jehovah,  they 
must  lie  down  for  ever,  under  the  scalding  phials  of 
his  vengeance  in  the  pit  of  hell !  To  state  this  doc- 
trine in  its  true  character,  is  enough  to  chill  one's 
blood — and  we  are  drawn  by  all  that  is  rational  with- 
in us,  to  turn  away  from  such  a  God  with  horror,  as 
from  the  presence  of  an  Almighty  tyrant."* 

"This  is  the  blasphemy  clearly  contained  in  the 
horrible  decree  of  predestination.  And  here  I  fix  my 
foot.  On  this  I  join  issue  with  every  asserter  of  it. 
You  represent  God  as  worse   than  the  devil,  more 

*  Calvinistic  Controversy — the  Sermon. 


GARBLED   QUOTATIONS.  295 

false,  more  cruel,  more  unjust.  *But  you  say  you 
will  prove  it  by  Scripture.'  Hold!  What  will  you 
prove  by  Scripture?  That  God  is  worse  than  the 
devil  ?  It  cannot  be.  Whatever  that  Scripture 
proves,  it  never  can  prove  this.  Whatever  its  true 
meaning  be,  this  cannot  be  its  true  meaning. 

"  This  is  the  blasphemy  for  which  I  abhor  the  doc- 
trine of  predestination :  a  doctrine,  upon  the  supposi- 
tion of  which,  if  one  could  possibly  suppose  it  for  a 
moment,  he  might  say  to  our  adversary  the  devil, 
*  Thou  fool,  why  dost  thou  roar  about  any  longer  ? 
Thy  lying  in  wait  for  souls  is  as  needless  and  useless 
as  our  preaching.  Hearest  thou  not,  that  God  hath 
taken  thy  work  out  of  thy  hands ;  and  that  he  doth 
it  much  more  effectually  ?  Thou,  with  all  thy  princi- 
palities and  powers,  canst  only  so  assault  that  we 
may  resist  thee.  But  he  can  irresistibly  destroy  both 
body  and  soul  in  hell!  Thou  canst  only  entice;  but 
his  unchangeable  decree  to  leave  thousands  of  souls 
in  death,  compels  them  to  continue  in  sin  till  they 
drop  into  everlasting  burnings.  Thou  temptest;  he 
forceth  us  to  be  damned,  for  we  cannot  resist  his  will. 
Thou  fool,  why  goest  thou  about  any  longer,  seeking 
whom  thou  may  est  devour?  Hearest  thou  not  that 
God  is  the  devouring  lion,  the  destroyer  of  souls,  the 
murderer  of  men  ?  Moloch  caused  only  children  to 
pass  through  the  fire,  and  that  fire  was  soon  quenched ; 
the  corruptible  body  being  consumed,  its  torment  was 
at  an  end.  But  God,  thou  art  told,  by  his  eternal 
decree,  fixed  before  they  had  done  good  or  evil,  causes 
not  only  children  of  a  span  long,  but  the  parents  also, 
to  pass  through  the  fire  of  hell — the  fire  which  never 
shall  be  quenched ;  and  the  body  which  is  cast  there- 
into, being  now  incorruptible  and  immortal,  will  be 
ever  consuming,  and  never  consumed:  but  the  smoke 
of  their  torment,  because  it  is  God's  good  pleasure, 
ascendeth  up  for  ever  and  ever."* 

*  Doctrinal  Tracts,  pp.  171—173. 


296  GARBLED   QUOTATIONS. 

If  the  reader  has  any  desire  to  see  what  we  have 
just  given  exceeded,  he  has  only  to  turn  to  the  "  Ob- 
jections to  Calvinism,"  pp.  54,  167,  &c. 

But  notwithstanding  all  this  misrepresentation, 
slander  and  abuse,  the  General  Conference  finding 
that  Calvinists  did  not  preach  in  accordance  with  the 
doctrines  set  down  to  their  account,  took  another 
step,  and  published  a  Tract  under  the  title  of  "  Du- 
plicity Exposed."  In  this,  after  some  introductory 
remarks,  they  say,  speaking  of  the  "  Congregational 
and  Presbyterian  Churches  of  this  country,"  "  It  never 
comports  with  honesty,  much  less  with  religious  inte- 
grity, to  dissemble  with  the  public,  professing  one 
thing  while  we  industriously  circulate  another.  How- 
ever unwilling  we  are  to  charge  such  duplicity  on  any 
body  of  people,  yet  we  are  constrained  to  say,  the 
pretensions  and  practices  of  some  men,  are  to  us  un- 
accountable." "  We  say,  they  (the  Congregational 
and  Presbyterian  Churches,)  believe  the  doctrine  of 
eternal  and  unchangeable  decrees,  of  unconditional 
election  and  reprobation,  of  the  universal  agency  of 
God,  by  which  he  worketh  all  things  in  all  men,  even 
wickedness  in  the  wicked" — "  because  he  chooses  on 
the  whole,  that  they  should  go  on  in  sin,  and  thereby 
give  him  a  plausible  pretext  for  damning  them  in  the 
flames  of  hell  for  ever."  We  do  not  mean  to  blame 
any  person  for  believing  the  above  stated  doctrine,  if 
they  cannot  conscientiously  disbelieve  it;  but  we  do 
and  must  blame  them,  when  they  dissemble  their  be- 
lief, by  sometimes  saying  they  do  not  believe  what 
we  know  they  industriously  teach."* 

"If  the  associated  Congregational  and  Presby- 
terian Churches  have  made  any  material  alteration 
in  their  doctrine  and  discipline,  we  think  they  owe  it 
to  the  public  to  show  what  articles  they  have  reject- 
ed,  &c.     In  short,  they  ought  to  publish  a  revised 

Objections  to  Calvinism,  pp.  8,  9. 


GARBLED   QUOTATIONS.  29T 

edition  of  their  Confession  of  Faith."  "The  object 
of  this  Tract  is  not  to  controvert,  or  disprove  the 
horrid  sentiments  it  discloses,  but  simply  to  demon- 
strate that  such  sentiments  are  held  and  propagated, 
while  many  who  affect  to  disavow  them,  are  endeavour- 
ing to  suit  them  to  the  popular  taste  by  exhibiting 
them  in  a  disguised  dress.  We  blame  not  people  who 
honestly  believe,  but  we  blame  those  who  disbelieve 
what  they  openly  profess  and  teach."' 

It  reminds  us  of  a  spiritual  song  that  used  to  be 
sung  at  camp-meetings,  one  verse  of  which  was  as 
follows,  viz. 

"The  Devil,  Calvin,  and  Tom  Paine, 

May  vent  their  hellish  rage  in  vain; 

Their  doctrines  shall  be  downward  hurl'd, 

The  Methodists  will  take  the  world." 

As  to  "  publishing  a  revised  and  corrected  edition 
of  the  Confession  of  Faith,"  it  may  be  well  to  observe, 
that  Calvinists  are  satisfied  with  it  as  it  is,  and  do 
not  consider  the  revision  we  have  noticed  an  improve- 
ment. 


CHAPTER    XV. 


FOBGERIES. 


In  the  present  chapter  we  propose  to  advance  a  step, 
and  notice  some  of  the  quotations  which  Arminians 
have  forged  for  Calvinists.  Whether  this,  when  taken 
in  connection  with  their  professions  of  candour  and 
kindness,  will  appear  somewhat  like  "  duplicity  ex- 
posed," the  reader  must  judge.  But  we  will  not 
detain  him  with  preliminaries. 

From  a  letter  by  the  Rev.  Augustus  Toplady,  to 

.    .       _  ■'  Objections  to  Calvinism,  pp.  9,  10. 


298       •  FORGERIES. 

the  Rev.  John  Wesley,  dated  January  9th,  1792,  we 
make  the  following  extracts,  viz. 

"For  the  information  of  some,  who  are  unac- 
quainted with  the  circumstances  under  which  I  write, 
I  must  premise,  that  in  November,  1760,  I  published 
a  two-shilling  pamphlet,  entitled  'The  doctrine  of 
absolute  predestination,  stated  and  asserted:  with  a 
preliminary  discourse  on  the  divine  attributes,  trans- 
lated in  a  great  measure  from  the  Latin  of  Jerome 
Zanchius.'  In  the  month  of  March,  1779,  out 
sneaks  a  printed  paper,  (consisting  of  one  sheet, 
folded  in  twelve  pages;  price  one  penny,)  entitled 
'The  doctrine  of  absolute  predestination,  stated  and 
asserted  by  the  Rev.  A.  T ,'  wherein  you  pre- 
tend to  give  an  abridgment  of  the  pamphlet  referred 
to.     But, 

"1.  Why  did  you  not  make  your  abridgment  truly 
public  ? 

"2.  Why  did  you  not  abridge  me  faithfully  and 
fairly  ?  especially  as  you  took  the  liberty  of  prefixing 
my  name  to  it.  You  draw  up  a  flimsy,  partial  com- 
pendium of  Zanchius,  which  exhibits  a  few  detached 
propositions  placed  in  the  most  disadvantageous  point 
of  view,  without  including  any  part  of  the  evidence 
on  which  they  stand."  "But  this  alone  was  not  suf- 
ficient to*  encompass  the  desired  end.  ...  A 
false  colouring  must  likewise  be  superinduced,  by* 
inserting  a  sentence  now  and  then  of  your  own  foist- 
ing in;  after  which  you  close  the  motley  piece  with 
an  entire  paragraph,  forged  every  word  of  it  by  your- 
self, and  conclude  all  as  you  began,  by  subjoining  the 
initials  of  my  name,  to  make  the  ignorant  believe 
that  the  whole,  with  your  omissions,  additions  and 
alterations,  actually  came  from  me.  An  instance  of 
audacity  and  falsehood  hardly  to  be  paralleled!" 

"I  am  very  far  from  desiring  the  reader  to  take 
my  word  in  proof  of  the  charge  alleged  against  you. 
As  an  instance  of  your  want  of  honour,  veracity  and 


FORGERIES.  299 

justice,  I  refer  to  the  following  paragraph,  1st,  as 
published  by  me ;  2,  as  quoted  by  you. 

"1.  When  all  the  transactions  of  providence  and 
grace  are  wound  up  in  the  last  day,  he  (Christ)  will 
then  properly  sit  as  judge,  and  openly  publish  and 
solemnly  ratify,  if  I  may  so  say,  his  everlasting 
decrees,  by  receiving  the  elect,  body  and  soul,  into 
glory;  and  bypassing  sentence  on  the  non-elect,  (not 
for  having  done  what  they  could  not  help,  but)  for 
their  wilful  ignorance  of  divine  things;  and  their 
obstinate  unbelief;  for  their  omissions  of  moral 
duty,  and  for  their  repeated  iniquities  and  transgres- 
sions."* 

"2.  In  the  last  day  Christ  will  sit  as  a  judge,  and 
openly  publish,  and  solemnly  ratify  his  everlasting 
clecrees,  by  receiving  the  elect  into  glory,  and  by 
passing  sentence  on  the  non-elect  {not  for  having 
done  what  they  could  not  help,  but)  for  their  wilful 
ignorance  of  divine  things,  and  their  obstinate 
unbelief,  for  their  omissions  of  moral  duty,  and  their 
repeated  iniquities  and  transgressions,  which  they 
could  not  help."f 

The  reader  will  notice  that  the  words  "  which  they 
could  not  help,"  are  forged  by  Mr.  Wesley,  and  put 
into  Mr.  Toplady's  mouth,  thus  making  him  teach, 
directly  the  opposite  of  what  he  does  teach.  But 
Mr.  Toplady  continues, 

"  Whether  my  views  of  the  doctrine  itself  be  in 
fact  right  or  wrong,  is  no  part  of  the  present  inquiry. 
The  question  is,  have  you  quoted  me  fairly  ?  Blush, 
Mr.  Wesley,  if  you  are  capable  of  blushing.  For 
once,  publicly  acknowledge  yourself  to  have  acted 
criminally,  'unless,'  to  use  your  own  words  on  another 
occasion,  'Shame  and  you  have  shaken  hands  and 
parted.' 

*  Doctrine  of  Absolute  Predestination,  page  93, 
f  Weslej's  Abridgment,  page  9. 


800  FORGERIES. 

"Your  concluding  paragraph,  which  you  have  the 
effrontery  to  palm  on  the  world,  runs  thus,  viz. 

"'The  sum  of  all  is  this:  One  in  twenty  (suppose) 
of  mankind  are  elected;  nineteen  in  twenty  are 
reprobated.  The  elect  shall  be  saved,  do  what  they 
will,  the  reprobate  shall  be  damned,  do  what  they  can. 
Reader,  believe  this  or  be  damned.  Witness  my 
hand,  A.  T .'"* 

This  last,  the  reader  will  discover  is  a  forgery 
throughout;  hence  Mr.  Toplady  says  of  it,  "In 
almost  any  other  case  a  similar  forgery  would  trans- 
mit the  criminal  to  Virginia  or  Maryland,  if  not  to 
Tyburn.  If  such  an  opponent  can  be  deemed  an 
honest  man,  where  shall  we  find  a  knave?  What 
would  you  think  of  me,  were  I  infamous  enough  to 
abridge  any  treatise  of  yours,  sprinkle  it  with  inter- 
polations, and  conclude  it  thus:  Reader,  buy  this 
book  or  be  damned.  Witness  my  hand,  John  Wes- 
ley!" 

Such  a  crime  in  Geneva,  in  the  days  of  Calvin, 
would  have  expelled  the  author  of  it  from  that  city, 
and  would  now  expel  him  from  the  Presbyterian 
Church. 

In  the  advertisement  to  the  second  edition  of  the 
letter  from  which  these  extracts  have  been  taken, 
Mr.  Toplady  says  :  "Nine  months  are  now  elapsed 
since  the  first  publication  of  this  letter,  in  all  of 
which  time  Mr.  Wesley  has  neither  apologized  for 
the  misdemeanour  which  occasioned  his  hearing  from 
me  in  this  public  manner,  nor  attempted  to  answer 
the  charge  entered  against  him." 

Some  time  after  (how  long,  the  writer  has  not 
ascertained)  Mr.  Wesley  came  out  with  a  reply, 
which  begins  thus: 

"  The  Consequences  Proved :  1st.  Mr.  Toplady,  a 
young,   bold  man,  lately  published   a  pamphlet,    an 

*  Wesley's  Abridgment,  page  12. 


FORGERIES.  801 

extract  from  which  was  soon  after  printed,  conclud- 
ing with  these  words : 

" '  The  sum  of  all  is  this :  One  in  twenty,  sup- 
pose, of  mankind  is  elected ;  nineteen  in  twenty  are 
reprohated.  Thp  elect  shall  he  saved,  do  what  they 
will:  the  reprobate  shall  be  damned,  do  what  they 
can.' 

"  2.  A  great  outcry  has  been  raised  on  that 
account,  as  though  this  was  not  a  fair  state  of  the 
case;  and  it  has  been  vehemently  affirmed,  that  no 
such  consequences  follow  from  the  doctrine  of  abso- 
lute predestination. 

"  I  calmly  affirm  it  is  a  fair  state  of  the  case ;  this 
consequence  does  naturally  and  necessarily  follow 
from  the  doctrine  of  absolute  predestination,  as  here 
stated  and  defended  by  bold  Mr.  Augustus  Toplady." 

In  reference  to  the  historical  truth  of  all  we  have 
here  given,  it  may  be  proper  to  remark, 

1.  That  it  is  fully  confirmed  by  Southey.* 

2vy That  the  reply  of  Mr.  Wesley  here  referred  to, 
viz.  V  The  Consequences  Proved,"  is  to  be  found  in 
his  works,  and  has  been  transferred  by  the  General 
Conference  to  their  stereotype  volume  of  Doctrinal 
Tracts,  while  the  abridgment  of  which  Mr.  Toplady 
complains,  is.  not  found  in  either. 

3  That  Mr.  Wesley  and  the  General  Conference 
admit  the  publication  complained  of,  but  instead  of 
acknowledging  or  retracting  the  forgery,  make  the 
admission  in  such  a  way  as  to  call  it  "an  extract" 
from  the  pamphlet  of  Mr.  Toplady.  "Mr.  Toplady, 
a  young,  bold  man,  lately  published  a  pamphlet,  an 
extract  from  which  was  soon  after  published,  conclud- 
ing with  these  words: — '  The  sum  of  all  is  this,'  "  &c. 
that  is,  the  "extract"  from  Mr.  Toplady  so  concludes, 
and  "  calmly  affirms  it  is  a  fair  state  of  the  case." 
The  sum  then  of  all  is  this ;  Mr.  Wesley  committed  a 

*  See  Life  of  Wesley,  Vol.  II.  pp.  169,  170. 

26 


302  FORGERIES.  >> 

forgery,  and  he  and  the  General  Conference  told  a 
falsehood  about  it,  and  have  made  the  forgery  and 
falsehood  a  standard  publication  ever  since.  How 
they  will  all  fare  by  the  rule  the  former  has  laid 
down  as  essential  to  piety,  is  not  for  us  to  say.  That 
rule  is  as  follows,  viz.  "A  man  cannot  have  any 
religion  who  does  to  others  what  he  would  not  they 
should  do  to  him,  if  he  were  in  the  same  circum- 
stances."* 

In  addition  to  the  above,  Mr.  Whitehead  relates 
an  act  of  Mr.  Wesley,  in  reference  to  Mr.  Toplady, 
not  less  discreditable  to  the  former,  than  what  we 
have  noticed.  "After  Mr.  Toplady's  death,"  says 
Mr.  Whitehead,  "a  woman  came  to  Mr.  Wesley, 
and  related  several  things,  as  from  her  own  personal 
knowledge,  injurious  to  his  character.  She  said 
some  unpleasant  things  concering  the  manner  of  his 
death,  which,  as  appears  since,  on  good  authority, 
were  false.  Mr  Wesley  very  imprudently  related  in 
private  conversation  some  things  she  had  told  him, 
supposing  them  to  be  true.  What  he  said  was  soon 
reported  to  Mr.  Toplady's  friends,  who  publicly 
called  on  Mr.  Wesley  for  proof  of  his  assertions. 
Mr.  Wesley  made  no  reply,  and  the  Calvinists 
immediately  charged  him  with  inventing  the  story, 
as  well  as  propagating  it."t 

If  then  Mr.  Wesley  "  made  no  reply" — took  no 
notice  of  the  call,  did  not  give  his  authority  for 
the  injurious  statement,  but  sanctioned  it  with  the 
authority  of  his  name,  he  was  willing  it  should  con- 
tinue to  be  spread  as  having  come  from  him.  It 
therefore  became  his  adopted  child.  Now,  if  any  one 
will  show  that  this  was  less  criminal  than  to  have 
originated  the  slander,  he  will  deserve  a  premium. 
But  let  us  hear  Mr.  Wesley  himself: — "Hear  evil  of 

*  Sermon  on  The  Way  to  the  Kingdom.^ 
f  Life  of  Wesley,  page  304. 


FORGERIES.  30% 

no  man.  If  there  were  no  hearers,  there  would  be 
no  speakers  of  evil.  And  is  not  the  receiver  as  bad 
as  the  thief?"* 

Having  noticed  two  forgeries,  we  will  take  up 
another. 

In  No.  32,  page  96,  of  the  Methodist  Sunday- 
school  and  Youth's  Library,  the  General  Conference 
state  the  doctrine  of  predestination  as  follows,  viz. 

"  That  God  has  by  an  eternal  and  unchangeable 
decree  predestinated  to  eternal  damnation  by  far  the 
greater  part  of  mankind,  and  that  absolutely,  without 
any  respect  to  their  works,  but  only  for  the  showing 
of  the  glory  of  his  justice.  And  that  for  the  bring- 
ing this  about,  he  hath  appointed  these  miserable 
souls  necessarily  to  walk  in  their  wicked  ways,  that 
so  his  justice  may  lay  hold  of  them." 

The  Rev.  Dr.  Annan  has  well"  remarked,  that 
"  the  minister  who  should  dare  broach  such  a  senti- 
ment in  the  Presbyterian  Church  would  be  brought 
to  trial  for  heresy  and  impiety."  The  passage  is 
put  in  quotation  marks,  and  to  fasten  the  impression 
upon  the  minds  of  the  young  and  unsuspecting,  they 
are  presented  with  the  usual  array  of  garbled,  mu- 
tilated, and  perverted  quotations  from  Calvin  and 
others.  And  lest  the  direction  of  the  whole  should  be 
misunderstood,  the  Confession  of  Faith,  Chapter  III. 
Section  5,  comes  in  for  a  full  share.  "  Chosen  in 
Christ  unto  everlasting  glory,  without  any  foresight 
of  faith  and  good  works,"  omitting  what  immedi- 
ately follows,  viz.  "As  conditions  or  causes  moving 
hereto." 

We  will  next  present  the  reader,  without  much 
comment,  with  a  few  samples  of  such  forgeries  as 
abound  in  the  Doctrinal  Tracts.  And  here  we  may 
remark,  that  it  is  not  uncommon  to  give  as  the  lan- 
guage of  another,  such  language  as  he  does  not  use. 

*  Sermon  on  The  Cure  of  Evil  Speaking. 


304  FORGERIES. 

In  that  case,  however,  if  honesty  is  intended,  care  is 
taken  not  to  misstate  his  sentiments,  nor  to  conceal 
the  fact,  that  he  is  not  the  author  of  the  language  as- 
cribed to  him.  The  reverse  of  this  is  true  of  the  for- 
geries we  are  about  to  present. 

On  page  46,  the  Calvinist  is  represented  as  saying, 
"He  is  afraid,  if  he  does  not  hold  election,  he  must 
hold  free  will,  and  so  rob  God  of  his  glory  in  man's 
salvation."  The  above  sentence  is  placed  between 
quotation  marks,  so  that  the  reader  is  left  to  infer, 
(without  there  being  anything  in  the  connection  to 
show  to  the  contrary)  that  it  is  a  quotation  from  some 
Calvinistic  author,  and  that  Calvinists  deny  the  free 
agency  of  man.  Yet  strange  to  tell,  Chap.  IX.  of 
the  Confession  of  Faith  is  immediately  and  (what  is 
very  remarkable)  correctly  quoted,  to  show  that  they 
maintain  his  free  agency.  "  God  hath  endowed  the 
will  of  man  with  that  natural  liberty  that  it  is  neither 
forced,  nor  by  an  absolute  necessity  of  nature  deter- 
mined to  good  Or  evil."  Nor  is  it  less  remarkable, 
that  Calvin  should  be  correctly  referred  to  also,  as 
teaching  the  same  doctrine.* 

Again,  on  page  47,  a  quotation  is  in  like  manner 
forged,  which  represents  the  Calvinist  as  saying,  "  If 
man  has  any  free  will,  God  cannot  have  the  whole 
glory  of  his  salvation." 

So  also  in  reply  to  the  following  interrogatories  on 
page  54,  such  answers  are  forged,  as  no  Calvinist  ever 
made,  viz. 

"Why  does  this  man  sin?  'He  cannot  cease  from 
sin.'  Why  cannot  he  cease  from  sin?  'Because  he 
has  no  saving  grace?  Because  God  of  his  own  good 
pleasure,  hath  eternally  decreed  not  to  give  it  him.' 
Is  he  then  under  an  unavoidable  necessity  of  sinning? 
'  Yes,  as  much  as  a  stone  is  of  falling.  He  never  had 
any  more  power  to  cease  from  evil  than  a  stone  has  to 

*  See  Doctrinal  Tracts,  p.  154. 


FORGERIES.  30§ 

hang  in  the  air.'  And  shall  this  man,  for  not  doing 
what  he  never  could  do,  and  for  doing  what  he  never 
could  avoid,  be  sentenced  to  depart  into  everlasting 
fire,  prepared  for  the  devil  and  his  angels?  'Yes, 
because  it  is  the  sovereign  will  of  God.'  " 

Now,  the  writer  takes  it  upon  him  to  say,  these  an- 
swers, and  the  doctrine  contained  in  them,  are  Armin- 
ian  forgeries  throughout.  Again,  we  have  the  follow- 
ing, pp.  95,  96,  viz.  "  Some  are  not  afraid  to  assert, 
that  'God  by  an  eternal  and  unchangeable  decree, 
hath  predestinated  to  eternal  damnation  the  far  greater 
part  of  mankind,  and  that  absolutely,  without  any 
respect  to  their  works,  but  only  for  the  showing  the 
glory  of  his  justice;  and  that  for  the  bringing  this 
about,  he  hath  appointed  these  miserable  souls  neces- 
sarily to  walk  in  their  wicked  ways,  that  so  his  justice 
may  lay  hold  on  them.  And  that  he  justly  condenjna 
these  although  he  hath  withheld  from  them  that  grace 
by  which  alone  they  could  have  laid  hold  of  salvation, 
as  having  decreed  (without  any  respect  to  their  works) 
that  they  shall  not  obey;  and  that  the  gospel  which 
he  publicly  invites  them  to  accept,  shall  never  prove 
eflFectual  for  their  salvation,  but  only  serve  to  aggra- 
vate their  guilt  and'  occasion  their  greater  dam- 
nation.' " 

"  Some  are  not  afraid  to  assert,"  &c.  Now,  although 
the  above  is  stated  and  marked  as  a  quotation,  and 
there  is  nothing  in  the  connection  that  would  lead  to 
a4iy  other  inference,  it  is  a  forgery  from  beginning  to 
end.  The  same  may  be  said  of  the  following,  on  page 
156,  viz.  "But  is  it  (the  grace  or  love  of  God,  whence 
Cometh  our  salvation,)  free  for  all,  as  well  as  in  all  ? 
To  this,  some  have  answered,  '  NO :  it  is  free  only  for 
those  whom  God  hath  ordained  to  life;  and  they  are 
but  a  little  flock.  The  greater  part  of  mankind  God 
hath  ordained  unto  death;  and  it  is  not  free  for  them. 
Them  God  hateth;  and  therefore  before  they  were 
born,  decreed  they  should  die  eternally.  And  this  he 
26* 


306  FORGERIES. 

absolutely  decreed,  because  so  was  his  good  pleasure; 
because  it  was  his  sovereign  will.  Accordingly,  they 
were  born  to  this,  to  be  destroyed  body  and  soul  in 
hell.  And  they  grow  under  the  irrevocable  curse  of 
God,  without  any  possibility  of  redemption.  For  what 
grace  God  gives,  he  gives  only  for  this,  to  increase, 
not  to  prevent  their  damnation.'  " 

We  have  now  presented  the  reader  with  a  few 
samples  of  the  forgeries  that  are  to  be  found  in  the 
Methodist  Doctrinal  Tracts.  He  has  seen  something 
of  the  spirit  of  detraction  that  exists  in  that  Church, 
and  how  it  was  carried  on  in  England,  and  in  this 
country;  it  may  not  be  amiss  therefore,  to  inform  him 
with  whom,  and  when,  it  originated. 

Dr.  Coke  was  the  first  who  was  ordained  a  Bishop 
for  the  American  Colonies.  Writing  to  Mr.  Wesley 
from  Ireland,  some  time  after  that  event,  he  says  he 
"would  as  soon  commit  adultery  as  preach  publicly 
against  the  church."  "But"  says  Mr.  Whitehead,  "I 
must  say  this  of  the  doctor,  that  with  respect  to  adul- 
tery, I  think  him  very  innocent;  but  in  bringing 
railing  accusations  against  others,  I  think  him  very 
guilty;  and  it  is  very  probable  that  the  Methodist 
Episcopal  Church  now  forming  in  England  will  have 
the  same  foundation  as  it  had  in  America.  The  foun- 
ders of  it  begin  with  judging  and  condemning  others 
who  dissent  from  them,  and  exalting  themselves ;  some 
very  glaring  instances  of  which  have  already  appeared. 
I  leave  others  to  judge  of  the  probable  consequences."* 

From  this  we  learn  that  the  "founders"  of  the 
Methodist  Episcopal  Church  in  the  United  States, 
"began  with  judging,  and  condemning  others  who 
dissented  from  them"  in  a  "very  glaring"  manner, 
"and  (in)  exalting  themselves." 

We  will  close  this  chapter  with  what  will  doubtless 
appear  to  the  reader  as  it  does  to  us,  a  little  ahead  of 

*  Life  of  Wesley,  page  261. 


FORGERIES.  307 

any  of  the  inconsistencies  we  have  had  under  review. 
In  1843  the  Rev.  G.  W.  Musgrave  published  a  pam- 
phlet entitled  "Polity  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal 
Church  in  the  United  States,"  &c.,  in  which  occurs 
the  following  sentence,  viz.  "For  many  years,  and 
without  the  slightest  provocation,  the  General  Tract 
Society  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal  church,  under  the 
care  and  control  of  the  General  Conference  have  been 
issuing  hostile  and  offensive  publications  against  the 
Presbyterian  Church." 

In  a  "Reply"  to  that  pamphlet,  by  the  Rev. 
David  Meredith  Reese,  A.  M.,  M.  D.,  a  local  preacher 
of  that  Church,  we  have  the  following  on  page  7,  viz. 

"No,  Rev.  Sir,  you  will  forgive  my  abrupt  contra- 
diction of  your  Reverence  thus  early,  when  I  assure 
you  that  no  Tract  has  ever  been  issued  by  any 
authority  in  the  Methodist  Episcopal  Church,  against 
the  Presbyterian  Church  or  against  any  other  evan- 
gelical denomination."* 

Let  us  see.  The  Calvinistic  Controversy  is  "  pub- 
lished by  Waugh  and  Mason,  for  the  Methodist  Epis- 
copal Church."  In  it  Dr.  Fisk  says,  pp.  8,  9,  "With 
these  definitions  (of  predestination)  agree  all  the  Cal- 
vinistic divines  in  Europe  and  America.  To  this  view 
of  predestination  we  have  objected."  "It  is  the  ob- 
ject of  the  sermon  and  of  the  following  controversy,  to 
show  that  Calvinistic  predestination  is,  on  any  ground 
of  consistency,  utterly  irreconcilable  with  mental  free- 
dom." 

If  then.  Dr.  Fisk  writes  against  a  doctrine  held  by 
"  all  the  Calvinistic  divines  of  Europe  and  America," 
he  must  write  "against  the  Presbyterian  Church." 

Again:  The  Methodist  Doctrinal  Tracts  are  "pub- 
lished by  order  of  the  General  Conference"  "for  the 
Methodist  Episcopal  church."     Tract  VIII.  begins 

*  Dr.  Beese  resides  in  the  city  of  Baltimore. 


808  PERSEVERANCE 

with  an  address  "to  all  predestinarians,"  and  Tract 
V.  "joins  issue  with  every  as'serter  of"  that  doctrine. 
"Duplicity  Exposed"  is  issued  by  the  same  author- 
ity, for  the  same  Church.  In  it  the  "  Associated  Con- 
gregational and  Presbyterian  Churches"  are  expressly 
named,  as  obnoxious  to  the  charges  it  prefers — and  it 
is  the  declared  "object  of  this  tract  not  to  controvert 
or  disprove  the  horrid  sentiments  it  (the  Confession 
of  Faith)  discloses,  but  simply  to  demonstrate  that 
such  sentiments  are  held  and  propagated,  while  many 
who  affect  to  disavow  them,  are  endeavouring  to  suit 
them  to  the  popular  taste,  by  exhibiting  them  in  a 
disguising  dress."  "To  show  that  the  Associated 
Congregational  and  Presbyterian  Churches  do  believe 
and  teach  the  same  doctrine,"  &c.,  pp.  8,  9.  The 
"assurance"  then  "that  no  tract  has  ever  been  issued 
by  any  authority  in  the  Methodist  Episcopal  Church, 
against  the  Presbyterian  Church,  or  against  any  other 
evangelical  denomination,"  is  something  that  "out- 
herods  Herod."  This,  with  the  false  charges,  mis- 
representations, garblings,  mutilatings,  and  forgeries, 
we  have  noticed,  may  be  set  down  among  the  "pious 
frauds"  of  the  nineteenth  century. 


CHAPTER   XVI. 

THE    FINAL    PERSEVERANCE    OF   THE    SAINTS. 

The  Rev.  R.  S.  Foster,  speaking  of  Calvinists, 
says,  "  The  final  perseverance  of  the  saints,  with 
them,  is  a  frankly  avowed  and  cherished  sentiment. 
To  rob  them  of  this,  would  be  to  rob  them  of  one  of 
their  gods."* 

After  this,   he  goes  on  to  say,  "The  doctrine  is 

*  Objections  to  Calvinism,  page  178. 


OF  THE   SAINTS.  809 

without  warrant  from  the  word  of  God No 

passage  clearly  teaches  it ;  none  necessarily  infers  it ; 
no  principle  of  revelation  sanctions  it.  If  it  could 
be  true,  its  truth  never  can  be  derived  from  the 
Bible,"  &c.* 

"  Its  logical  consequences  are  antagonistic  to  the 
reason  and  nature  of  man,  to  the  genius  of  religion, 
and  to  the  consciousness  of  our  species."f 

Having  concluded  what  we  wished  to  say  of  forged 
quotations,  &c.,  we  proceed  to  show  that  this  is  a 
doctrine  taught  by  standard  writers  in  the  Methodist 
Episcopal  Church. 

"  The  order  of  the  great  work  of  salvation,"  says 
Dr.  Adam  Clarke,  is — 1.  Conviction  of  sin.  2.  Con- 
version from  sin.  3.  Faith  in  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ, 
&c.  4.  Justification  or  pardon,  &c.  5.  Sanctifica- 
tion,  &c.  6.  Perseverance  in  the  state  of  sanctifica- 
tion,  &c.     7.  Glorification."! 

This,  the  reader  will  observe,  is  laid  down  as  the 
"order  of  the  great  work  of  salvation,"  and  that  one 
link  in  the  chain,  is  "perseverance  in  the  state  of 
sanctification ;"  in  other  words,  "the  perseverance  of 
the  saints."  Clarke's  Theology,  it  is  to  be  recol- 
lected, is  a  selection  made  from  the  writings  of  that 
divine  by  the  General  Conference;  so  that  "perse- 
verance in  the  state  of  sanctification"  is  thus  en- 
dorsed by  that  body,  as  one  of  the  doctrines  of  the 
Methodist  Episcopal  Church.  "  With  regard  to  final 
perseverance,"  says  Wesley,  "I  am  inclined  to  be- 
lieve, there  is  a  state  attainable  in  this  life,  from 
which  a  man  cannot  finally  fall ;  and  that  he  haa 
attained  this  who  can  say,  'old  things  are  passed 
away;  all  things  are  become  new.'"§ 

"I  am  inclined  to  believe."  Here  Mr.  Wesley 
expresses  some  doubt;  in  another  place,  however,  he 

*  Objections  to  Calvinism,  p.  179.        f  Ibid.  p.  199. 

X  Clarke's  Theology,  page  148,  |  Works,  Vol.  III.  p.  289. 


310  PERSEVERANCE 

is  very  decided.  Thus,  after  commenting  on  Eom. 
viii.  29,  30,  "  For  whom  he  did  foreknow,  he  also  did 
predestinate  to  be  conformed  to  the  image  of  his 
Son.  Moreover,  whom  he  did  predestinate,  them  he 
also  called,  and  whom  he  called,  them  he  also  justi- 
fied, and  whom  he  justified,  them  he  also  glorified." 
He  asks,  "What  is  it  then  we  learn  from  this  whole 
account?  It  is  this,  and  nothing  more.  1.  God 
knows  all  believers.  2.  Wills  that  they  should  be 
saved  from  sin.  3.  To  that  end  justifies  them. 
4.  Sanctifies :    and  5.  Takes  them  to  glory."* 

If  then,  God  wills  the  salvation  of  all  believers, 
justifies,  sanctifies,  and  takes  them  to  glory,  what  is 
this  but  the  perseverance  and  final  salvation  of  all 
the  saints  ?  What  is  still  more  remarkable,  is  that 
the  inference  here  stated  is  drawn  from  one  of  the 
strongest  passages  of  Scripture  that  Calvinists  adduce 
to  prove  that  doctrine. 

Again,  in  his  sermon  on  "  Justification  by  Faith," 
he  says,  "  To  him  that  is  justified  or  forgiven,  God 
will  not  impute  sin   to   his   condemnation.     He  will 
not    condemn  him   on  that   account,  either   in    this 
world    or   in    that   which  is  to  come.  ......  And 

from  the  time  we  are  accepted  through  the  beloved, 
reconciled  to  God  through  his  blood,  he  loves,  and 
blesses,  and  watches  over  us  for  good,  even  as  if  we 
had  never  sinned." 

If  then,  "to  him  that  is  forgiven,  God  will  not 
impute  sin  to  his  condemnation,"  "either  in  this 
world  or  in  that  which  is  to  come,"  well  may  the 
pardoned  sinner  break  out  in  the  following  lines  of 
one  of  the  Methodist  Hymns,  viz. 

"For  Jesus  my  Lord  is  now  my  defence; 
I  trust  in  liis  word,  none  plucks  me  from  thence ;  .  .  . 
For  sorrow  and  sadness  I  joy  shall  receive, 
And  share  in  the  gladness  of  all  that  believe. "f 

*  Sermon  on  Predestination.  f  Hymn  287. 


OF  THE   SAINTS.  811 

On  that  doctrine,  Mr.  Watson  is  clear  in  his  ser- 
mon on  Prov.  iv.  18.  "  The  path  of  the  just  is  as 
the  shining  light,  that  shineth  more  and  more  unto 
the  perfect  day." 

"  The  just  man  here  mentioned,"  he  says,  "is  not 
the  man  who  begins  merely,  but  who  likewise  perse- 
veres. Not  he  who  only  enters  the  gate,  but  who 
continues  in  the  path.  Nothing  can  be  more  affect- 
ing than  to  see  so  solemn  a  matter  as  religion  taken  up 
on  light  grounds  and  as  lightly  abandoned;  as  though 
it  were  a  question  of  no  moment  whether  we  served 
God  or  served  him  not.  Nor  does  anything  incur 
greater  guilt,  or  expose  to  greater  danger.  '  Better 
had  it  been  for  them  not  to  have  known  the  way  of 
righteousness,  than  after  they  have  known  it,  to  turn 
from  the  holy  commandment  delivered  unto  them.' 
Seven  devils  entered  \\  here  only  one  had  been  before, 
and  the  last  state  was  worse  than  the  first.  But  here 
you  have  the  man  of  steadfastness  and  perseverance. 
His  path  is  no  meteor  which  gleams  and  expires.  No 
rising  day  lowering  into  mist  and  darkness.  It  is  the 
path  of  the  cloudless  light  of  heaven.  It  shineth  yet 
more  and  more.  Such  is  his  continual  progress  in 
holiness  and  happiness." 

Mr.  Watson  here  plainly  distinguished  between  the 
professed  Christian  who  "takes  up  religion  as  a 
solemn  matter,"  and  the  other,  who  "  takes  it  up  on 
light  grounds."  In  other  words — between  the  one 
who  builds  "  on  a  rock,"  Matt.  vii.  24,  and  the  other 
who  builds  "  on  the  sand."  Matt.  vii.  26.  The  one 
"  who  receiveth  good  seed  into  good  ground,  and 
bringeth  forth  fruit,  some  an  hundred  fold,  some  sixty, 
some  thirty,"  Matt.  xiii.  23;  and  the  other  who  "hav- 
ing no  root  in  himself,  endureth  but  for  a  while." 
Matt.  xiii.  21.  The  one,  he  correctly  says,  "is  a  man 
of  steadfastness  and  perseverance,"  the  other,  a  ''me- 
teor which  gleams  and  expires."  The  one  "is  the 
path  of  the  cloudless  light  of  heaven,  that  shineth  yet 


312  PERSEVERANCE 

more  and  more,"  the  other  soon  "lowers  into  mist 
and  dariness."  No  Calvinist  could  state  the  doc- 
trine of  the  saints'  perseverance  more  distinctly  and 
decidedly. 

In  the  Doctrinal  Tracts,  page  163,  the  General 
-Conference  says,  "  That  assurance  of  faith  which  these 
enjoy,  (who  have  the  witness  of  the  Spirit,)  excludes 
all  doubt  and  fear.  It  excludes  all  kind  of  doubt  and 
fear  concerning  their  future  perseverance;  though  it 
is  not  properly  an  assurance  of  what  is  future,  but 
only  of  what  now  is."  "  It  excludes  all  kind  of  doubt 
and  fear  concerning  their  final  perseverance!"  How 
remarkably  this  accords  with  the  Scriptures:  "I  will 
make  an  everlasting  covenant  with  them,  that  I  will 
not  turn  away  from  them  to  do  them  good,  but  I  will 
put  my  fear  in  their  hearts,  that  they  shall  not  depart 
from  me."  Jer.  xxxii.  24. 

Accordingly,  Paul,  addressing  believers,  says,  "  Ye 
are  dead,  and  your  life  is  hid  with  Christ  in  God. 
When  (therefore)  Christ,  who  is  our  life,  shall  appear, 
then  shall  ye  also  appear  with  him  in  glory."  Col.  iii. 
33.  "Because  I  live,  ye  shall  live  also."  John  xiv. 
19.  "  For  I  am  persuaded  that  neither  death,  nor 
life,  nor  angels,  nor  principalities,  nor  powers,  nor 
things  present,  nor  things  to  come,  nor  height,  nor 
depth,  nor  any  other  creature,  shall  be  able  to  sepa- 
rate us  from  the  love  of  God  which  is  in  Christ  Jesus 
our  Lord."  Rom.  viii.  38,  39.  It  is  not  at  all  won- 
derful, therefore,  that  "  the  assurance  of  faith  which 
they  enjoy  (who  have  the  witness  of  the  Spirit,  bearing 
witness  with  their  spirit  that  they  are  the  children  of 
God,)  should  exclude  all  kind  of  doubt  and  fear  con- 
cerning their  future  perseverance." 

Again,  the  General  Conference  says,  "  There  is 
great  reason  to  hope,  that  Esau  (as  well  as  Jacob)  is 
now  in  Abraham's  bosom.  For  although  for  a  time, 
'he  hated  Jacob,'  and  afterwards  came  against  him 
'with  four  hundred  men,'  very  probably  designing  to 
take  revenge  for  the  injuries  he  had  sustained ;  we 


OF  THE   SAINTS.  81% 

find  that  when  they  met,  '  Esau  ran  and  fell  on  his 
neck,  and  kissed  him;'  so  thoroughly  had  God  changed 
his  heart !  And  why  should  we  doubt  but  that  happy 
change  continued?"* 

Although  a  man's  heart  towards  his  fellow-man 
may  be  changed  from  enmity  to  love,  without  being 
so  changed  towards  God,  and  although  there  is  no- 
thing in  the  connection,  nor  in  the  subsequent  history 
of  Esau,  which  would  lead  us  to  suppose  that  the 
change  in  him  extended  any  farther  than  his  brother; 
yet,  certainly,  if  that  change  did  take  place  which  the 
General  Conference  suppose,  then  as  "  the  assurance 
of  faith  which  they  enjoy,  who  have  the  witness  of  the 
Spirit  bearing  witness  with  their  spirits  that  they  are 
the  children  of  God,  excludes  all  kind  of  doubt  and 
fear  concerning  their  future  perseverance,"  it  may 
well  be  asked,  "  why  should  we  doubt  but  that  happy 
change  continued?" 

We  will  next  call  attention  to  a  few  quotations  from 
the  Methodist  Hymn-Book.  Our  edition  is  the  one 
in  use  before  the  division  of  the  Church.  In  Hymn 
17,  verse  4,  we  have  the  following,  viz. 

*'  Our  life  with  thee  we  hide, 

Above  the  furious  blast;  ^ 

And  shelter'd  in  thy  wounds  abide, 
Till  all  the  storms  be  past." 

The  reader  will  discover  that  there  is  allusion  here 
to  the  passage  in  Colossians,  already  quoted,  viz. 
*'Ye  are  dead,  and  your  life  is  hid  with  Christ  in 
God,"  &c.  Accordingly,  as  "the  assurance  of  faith, 
which  they  enjoy  who  have  the  witness  of  the  Spirit, 
excludes  all  kind  of  doubt  and  fear  concerning  their 
future  perseverance,"  they  here  express  entire  con- 
fidence that  they  will  "abide"  faithful,  or  in  other 
words,  will  persevere, 

"  Till  all  the  storms  be  past." 
*  Doctrinal  Tracts,  page  59. 

27 


314  PERSEVERANCE 

In  several  other  hymns,  the  same  sentiment  is  ex- 
pressed, with  even  greater  clearness.  Thus,  speaking 
of  the  believer's  union  with  Christ,  in  Hymn  260,  he 
is  represented  as  saying, 

"  No  mortal  doth  know,  what  he  can  bestow, 
What  light,  strength,  and  comfort;  go  after  him,  go; 
Lo,  onward  I  move,  to  a  city  above. 
None  guesses  how  wondrous  my  journey  will  prove. 

Great  spoils  I  shall  win,  from  death,  hell  and  sin. 
Midst  outward  afflictions,  shall  feel  Christ  within ; 
And  when  I'm  to  die,  receive  me,  I'll  cry, 
For  Jesus  hath  loved  me,  I  cannot  tell  why. 

But  this  I  do  find,  we  two  are  so  joined, 
He'll  not  live  in  glory,  and  leave  me  behind. 
So,  this  is  the  race,  I'm  running  through  grace, 
Henceforth  till  admitted  to  see  my  Lord's  face." 

In  these  verses,  the  Christian  does  not  indulge  a 
doubt  of  a  successful  journey,  of  securing  great  spoils, 
and  of  being  so  united  to  Christ,  that  he  will  dwell 
with  him  for  ever.  There  is  not  a  hint  about,  "  If  I 
persevere." 

Again,  our  Saviour  says  to  his  disciples,  "  Because 
I  live,  ye  shall  live  also."  And  the  Apostle  Paul 
says,  Rom.  v.  10,  "if  when  we  were  enemies,  we  were 
reconciled  to  God,  by  the  death  of  his  Son,  much  more 
being  reconciled,  we  shall  be  saved  by  his  life."  Here 
the  safety  of  God's  people  is  asserted  in  language 
strong  and  explicit.  In  accordance  with  it  we  have 
the  following  lines  in  an  address  to  the  Saviour,  in  the 
Methodist  Hymn-Book: 

"  We  clap  our  hands  exulting, 
In  thine  Almighty  favour; 
The  love  divine  that  made  us  thine, 
Can  keep  us  thine  for  ever. 

Thou  dost  conduct  thy  people, 

Through  torrents  of  temptation ; 
Nor  will  we  fear,  when  thou  art  near, 

The  fire  of  tribulation. 


OP  THE   SAINTS.  815 

Tbe  world  with  sin  and  Satan, 

In  vain  our  march  opposes; 
By  thee  we  shall  break  througli  them  all, 

And  sing  the  song  of  Moses."* 

So  also  in  the  Doctrinal  Tracts,  as  already  quoted, 
viz.  "That  assurance  of  faith  which  those  enjoy 
(who  have  the  witness  of  the  Spirit,)  excludes  all 
kind  of  doubt  and  fear  concerning  their  future  perse- 
verance." 

With  this  we  close  our  argument  on  this  part  of 
our  subject,  having  shown  that  the  final  perseverance 
of  the  saints  is  a  doctrine  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal 
Church. 

We  will  show  next,  that  it  is  a  doctrine  which  that 
Church  rejects. 

The  General  Conference,  although  they  very 
decidedly  reject  the  doctrine,  do  not  appear  to  see 
matters  in  so  clear  a  light  as  Mr.  Foster.  Accord- 
ingly they  say,  they  are  "sensible  (that)  either  side 
of  this  question  is  attended  with  great  difficulties; 
such  as  reason  alone  could  never  remove."t 

While  then,  Mr.  Foster  says  the  "logical  conse- 
quences" (of  this  doctrine)  "are  antagonistic  to  the 
reason  and  nature  of 'man,"  &c.,  the  General  Confer- 
ence say  "  either  side  of  this  question  is  attended  with 
difficulties  such  as  reason  alone  could  never  remove," 
and  "therefore"  they  appeal  "to  the  law  and  to  the 
testimony,"  and  say  "  on  this  authority  they  believe 
a  saint  who  is  holy  or  righteous  in  the  judgment  of 
God  himself,  may  nevertheless  so  fall  from  God,  as  to 
perish  everlastingly.  1.  'For  thus  saith  the  Lord, 
When  the  righteous  turneth  away  from  his  right- 
eousness, and  committeth  iniquity;  in  his  trespass 
that  he  hath  trespassed,  and  in  his  sin  that  he  hath 
sinned,  in  them  shall  he  die.'  "  Ezek.  xviii.  24.  They 
then  go  on  to  prove,  1st,  that  the  death  here  threatened 

*  Hymn  275.  f  Doctrinal  Tracts,  page  211. 


81ft  PERSEVERANCE 

is  eternal  .death,  and,  2.  That  a  saint  may  fall  and 
perish.* 

But  if  this  be  true,  it  is  doubtful  whether  a  single 
individual  of  the  human  family  has  entered  heaven 
except  those  who  die  in  infancy.  For  while  the  argu- 
ment is  intended  to  prove  a  fall  from  grace,  it  admits 
of  no  recovery.  "In  his  trespass  that  he  hath  tres- 
passed, and  in  his  sin  that  he  hath  sinned,  shall  he 
die."  Noah  was  a  righteous  man.  Gen.  vii.  1;  but 
Noah  got  drunk.  Gen.  ix.  21,  therefore  Noah  is  in 
hell.  Abraham  was  a  righteous  man,  but  Abraham 
told  a  falsehood,  and  denied  that  Sarah  was  his  wife, 
Gen.  xii.  19,  therefore  Abraham  is  in  hell.  Moses 
was  a  righteous  man,  but  in  a  fit  of  passion  he  dashed 
in  pieces  the  tables  of  the  Lord,  and  did  not  "sanctify 
the  Lord  in  the  presence  of  the  people,  at  the  waters 
of  Meribah  Kadesh,"  therefore  Moses  is  in  hell. 
Job  was  a  righteous  man,  yet  he  murmured  against 
the  dealings  of  Providence,  therefore  Job  is  in  hell. 
The  Apostle  Peter  was  a  righteous  man,  but  he  denied 
his  Lord  with  oaths  and  curses,  therefore  he  is  in 
hell,  &c.,  &c.  So  that,  according  to  the  General  Con- 
ference, no  pious  man  that  sins,  can  find  any  place 
for  repentance.  "In  his  trespasses  that  he  hath 
trespassed,  and  in  his  sins  that  he  hath  sinned  shall 
he  die."  If  this  interpretation  were  carried  out  in 
practice,  revivals  of  religion  in  the  Methodist  Church 
would  often  be  but  flimsy  affairs ;  for  they  often  con- 
sist in  working  over  old  materials,  the  third  or  fourth 
time. 

These  divines  have  evidently  fallen  into  an  error, 
first,  in  supposing  that  by  a  "righteous"  man,  we  are 
necessarily  to  understand  a  pious  man.  That  such  is 
its  meaning  frequently,  is  admitted;  but  that  it  has 
that  meaning  always,  is  denied.  Thus  in  reference 
to  the  duties  of  civil  officers,  it  is  said,  Deut.  xxv.  1, 

*  Doctrinal  Tracts,  pp.  211—214. 


OF  THE   SAINTS.  81f 

"  If  there  be  a  controversy  between  men,  and  they 
come  unto  judgment,  that  the  judges  may  judge 
between  them,  then  they  shall  justify  the  righteous 
and  condemn  the  wicked."  Here  evidently,  nothing 
more  is  meant  by  a  righteous  man,  than  one  who 
comes  before  the  judges  with  a  righteous  cause.  So 
also  in  1  Kings  viii.  31,  32,  "If  any  man  trespass 
against  his  neighbour,  and  an  oath  be  laid  upon  him 
to  cause  him  to  swear,  and  the  oath  come  before  thine 
altar  in  this  house ;  then  hear  thou  in  heaven,  and  do 
and  judge  thy  servants,  condemning  the  wicked  to 
bring  his  way  upon  his  head,  and  justifying  the  right- 
eous, to  give  him  according  to  his  righteousness." 

Again,  when  Solomon  gave  sentence  to  put  Joab 
to  death,  he  said  "The  Lord  shall  return  his  blood 
upon  his  own  head,  who  fell  upon  two  men  more 
righteous  and  better  than  he,  and  slew  them  with  the 
sword."* 

Again,  when  in  accordance  with  the  orders  of 
Jehu,  the  seventy  sons  of  Ahab  were  slain,  and  their 
heads  laid  at  the  gate  of  Jezreel,  Jehu  went  out 
and  said  to  the  people,  "Ye  be  righteous."t 

Here  then,  are  four  cases  in  which  the  word 
"righteous"  is  applied  to  individuals,  without  piety 
being  supposed  in  any  of  them. 

The  second  error  into  which  Mr.  Wesley  and  the 
General  Conference  have  fallen,  is,  in  taking  it  for 
granted  that  the  death  threatened  in  the  passage  they 
adduce,  refers  not  to  temporal,  but  to  eternal  death. 

In  reference  to  civil  officers,  it  is  said,  Deut.  xvi. 
19,  "Thoushalt  not  wrest  judgment ;  thou  shalt  not 
respect  persons."  And  in  Deut.  xxiv.  16,  it  is  said, 
"  The  fathers  shall  not  be  put  to  death  for  the  chil- 
dren ;  neither  shall  the  children  be  put  to  death  for 
the  fathers:  every  man  shall  be  put  to  death  for  his 
own  sin."     Accordingly,  when  king  Amaziah  "slew 

*  1  Kings  ii.  32.  f  2  Kings  x.  9. 

27* 


318  PERSEVERANCE 

his  servants  which  had  slain  the  king  his  father ;  but 
the  children  of  the  murderers  he  slew  not :  according  to 
that  which  is  written  in  the  book  of  the  law  of  Moses, 
wherein  the  Lord  commanded,  saying.  The  fathers 
shall  not  be  put  to  death  for  the  children,  nor  the 
children  be  put  to  death  for  the  fathers;  but  every 
man  shall  be  put  to  death  for  his  own  sin."  2  Kings, 
xiv.  5,  6. 

We  are  now  prepared  to  come  at  the  meaning  of 
the  passage  before  us,  as  the  whole  connection  shows. 

The  Jews,  like  other  nations  punished  some  sins 
with  death,  and  their  civil  officers  were  required  to 
inflict  that  penalty  on  the  offender,  irrespective  of 
his  standing  in  society.  Accordingly  we  have  the 
instructions  to  that  effect  given  in  Deuteronomy,  re- 
peated in  Ezekiel :  "  The  soul  that  sinneth,  it  shall 
die.  The  son  shall  not  bear  the  iniquity  of  the  father, 
neither  shall  the  father  bear  the  iniquity  of  the  son. 
The  righteousness  of  the  righteous  shall  be  upon  him, 
and  the  wickedness  of  the  wicked  shall  be  upon  him." 
"  When  the  righteous  turneth  from  his  righteous- 
ness, and  committeth  iniquity,  and  doeth  according  to 
all  the  abominations  that  the  wicked  man  doeth,  shall 
he  live  ?  All  his  righteousness  that  he  hath  done, 
shall  not  be  mentioned;"  (as  a  bar  between  him  and 
justice,)  "  in  his  trespass  that  he  hath  trespassed,  and 
in  his  sin  that  he  hath  sinned,  in  them  shall  he  die." 
Ezek.  xviii.  20,  24. 

But  notwithstanding  the  meaning  of  the  passage  is 
thus  obvious,  Arminians,  to  prove  that  a  saint  may 
fall  from  grace,  have  been  at  great  pains  so  to  per- 
vert it,  as  to  make  a  righteous  or  just  man,  necessa- 
rily mean  a  pious  man,  and  the  death  of  the  body, 
mean  the  eternal  death  of  the  soul. 

The  General  Conference  continues :  "  Secondly, 
one  who  is  endued  with  faith  that  purifies  the  heart, 
that  produces  a  good  conscience,  may  nevertheless  so 
fall  from  God  as  to  perish  everlastingly.     For  thus 


OF  THE   SAINTS.  819 

saith  the  inspired  Apostle,  "War  a  good  warfare, 
holding  faith  and  a  good  conscience,  which  some  hav- 
ing put  away,  concerning  faith  have  made  shipwreck." 
1  Tim.  i.  18,  19. 

"  Observe  1.  These  men  (such  as  Hymeneus  and 
Alexander,)  had  once  the  faith  that  purifies  the  heart, 
that  produces  a  good  conscience,  which  they  once  had, 
or  they  could  not  have  put  it  away. 

"  Observe  2.  They  made  shipwreck  of  the  faith, 
which  necessarily  implies  the  total  and  final  loss  of  it; 
for  a  vessel  once  wrecked  can  never  be  recovered.  It 
is  totally  lost.  And  the  Apostle  himself  mentions  one 
of  these  two  as  irrecoverably  lost.  'Alexander  did 
me  much  evil,  the  Lord  reward  him  according  to  his 
works.'  2  Tim.  iv.  14.  Therefore,  one  who  is  endued 
with  faith  that  purifies  the  heart,  that  produces  a 
good  conscience,  may  nevertheless  so  fall  from  God, 
as  to  perish  everlastingly."* 

To  this  we  reply,  1.  If  it  be  true,  then  what  is 
stated  in  Hymn  607  of  the  Methodist  Hymn-Book,  is 
not  true,  viz. 

"  Thy  saints  in  all  this  glorious  war, 
Shall  conquer  though  they  die." 

Nor  that  which  is  stated  in  Hymn  11th,  viz, 

"  The  Lord  shall  in  your  front  appear, 
And  lead  the  pompous  triumph  on, 
His  glory  shall  bring  up  the  rear. 
And  perfect  what  his  grace  begun." 

2.  It  is  not  said  that  the  faith  here  referred  to 
"purifies  the  heart." 

3.  That  a  man  may  have  a  good  conscience  without 
being  converted,  is  evident  from  what  Paul  says  of 
himself  before  his  conversion,  viz.  "  I  have  lived  in 
all  good  conscience  before  God  until  this  day."  Acts 
xxiii.  1,  compared  with  1  Tim.  i.  13,  Acts  xxvi.  9. 

*  Doctrinal  Tracts,  page  215. 


820  PERSEVERANCE 

4.  That  the  faith  of  which  "shipwreck"  was  made, 
refers  to  the  doctrine  of  the  gospel,  and  not  to  the 
faith  which  follows  a  vital  union  with  Christ,  is  evi- 
dent from  2  Tim.  ii.  18:  "Hymeneua  and  Philetus 
concerning  the  truth  have  erred,  in  saying  the  resur- 
rection is  passed  already,  and  have  overthrown  the 
faith  of  some."     See  also  2  Peter  ii.  22. 

5.  There  is  no  evidence  whatever,  that  "  Alexander 
who  did  Paul  much  evil,"  is  the  Alexander  who 
"made  shipwreck  of  the  faith." 

6.  The  apostle,  after  mentioning  some  apostates 
from  the  faith,  viz.  Hymeneus  and  Philetus,  expressly 
distinguishes  them  from  true  saints  in  the  next  verse 
— "nevertheless  the  foundation  of  God  standeth  sure, 
having  this  seal,  the  Lord  knoweth  them  that  are 
his."  2  Tim.  ii.  19.  "Having  this  seal."  "One 
object  of  a  seal,  is  to  distinguish  property,  and  so  the 
Lord  distinguishes  them  that  are  his.  Another  ob- 
ject of  it  is,  to  confirm.  Thus  a  king  sets  his  seal  to 
his  decrees — a  man  sets  his  seal  to  a  bond,  &c.,  and 
thus  God  makes  his  foundation  sure.  A  third  object 
of  a  seal  is  to  preserve  inviolate.  Thus  we  seal  a 
letter,  and  thus  the  sepulchre  in  which  our  Saviour 
was  buried  was  sealed ;  so  that  in  whatsoever  sense  we 
understand  the  word,  it  evidently  here  denotes  God's 
special  care  of  his  people. 

"4.  It  is  set  on  them  to  save  them  from  destruc- 
tion. Thus  it  was  said  to  the  destroying  angel,  Rev. 
vii.  3,  'Hurt  not  the  earth,  &c.,  till  we  have  sealed 
the  servants  of  God  on  their  foreheads.' 

"  5.  It  is  a  pledge  of  future  deliverance :  Thus, 
2  Cor.  i.  22,  23.  'Now  he  which  establisheth  us  with 
you  in  Christ,  and  hath  anointed  us,  is  God,  who  hath 
sealed  us,  and  given  the  earnest  of  his  spirit  in  our 
hearts.'  " 

An  "earnest"  is  a  part  given  as  a  pledge  that  the 
remainder  will  be  given.  Thus,  Eph.  i.  13,  14,  "In 
"whom  also  after  that  ye  believed  ye  were  sealed  with 


OF  THE   SAINTS.  9^1k 

the  Holy  Spirit  of  promise,  which  is  the  earnest  of 
our  inheritance."  Eph.  iv.  30,  "Grieve  not  the  Holy 
Spirit  of  God,  whereby  ye  are  sealed  unto  the  day  of 
redemption." 

"  The  question  now  arises,  will  not  the  saints,  after 
they  have  been  thus  sealed,  be  known  of  God,  and  be 
established  and  saved  from  destruction?  And  after 
they  have  received  the  seal  of  the  Spirit  as  an  earnest 
of  heaven,  will  they  be  disappointed  about  the  remain- 
der ?  If  so,  it  will  make  the  seal  of  God  a  less  security 
than  the  seal  of  his  creatures.  It  is  to  be  observed 
also,  that  this  seal  is  to  secure  the  saints  '  unto  the 
day  of  redemption,'  after  which  they  will  be  in  no 
danger." 

And  now,  the  Apostle  John,  as  if  to  seal  all  that 
has  been  said  of  Hymeneus,  and  Alexander,  and  all 
other  apostates,  says,  "They  went  out  from  us,  but 
they  were  not  of  us,  for  if  they  had  been  of  us,  they 
would  no  doubt  have  continued  with  us."  1  John 
ii.  19. 

"They  were  not  of  us."  Here  the  Apostle  uses  a 
tense,  which  utterly  forbids  the  supposition  that  such 
persons  were  ever  pious.  His  assertion  is  equivalent 
to,  "If  they  had  ever  been  of  us,  they  would  no  doubt 
have  continued  with  us." 

But,  continues  the  Conference,  "  Thirdly,  those  who 
are  engrafted  into  the  good  olive  tree,  the  spiritual 
invisible  church,  may  nevertheless  so  fall  from  God,  as 
to  perish  everlastingly.  For  thus  saith  the  apostle, 
'  Some  of  the  branches  were  broken  oif,  and  thou  art 
grafted  in  among  them,  and  with  them  partakest  of 
the  root  and  fatness  of  the  olive  tree.  Be  not  high 
minded,  but  fear.  If  God  spared  not  the  natural 
branches,  take  heed,  lest  he  spare  not  thee.  Behold 
the  goodness  and  severity  of  God !  On  them  which 
fell,  severity;  but  toward  thee  goodness,  if  thou  con- 
tinue in  his  goodness.  Otherwise  thou  shalt  be  cut 
off.'  Rom.  xi.  17,  20,  22. 


322  PERSEVERANCE 

"We  may  here  observe,  1.  The  persons  spoken  of, 
were  actually  grafted  into  the  olive  tree. 

"  2.  This  olive  tree  is  not  barely  the  outward  visi- 
ble church,  but  the  invisible,  consisting  of  holy  be- 
lievers. So  the  text,  'If  the  first  fruit  be  holy,  the 
lump  is  holy,  and  if  the  root  be  holy,  so  are  the 
branches.'  'And  (verse  20)  because  of  unbelief  they 
were  broken  off,  and  thou  standest  by  faith.' 

"3.  These  holy  believers  were  liable  to  be  cut  off 
from  the  invisible  church,  into  which  they  were  then 
grafted. 

"4.  There  is  not  the  least  intimation  of  those  who 
were  so  cut  off,  being  ever  engrafted  in  again.  There- 
fore, those  who  are  grafted  into  the  good  olive  tree, 
may  nevertheless  so  fall  from  God  as  to  perish  ever- 
lastingly."* 

In  reply  to  this,  we  admit  that  the  "olive  tree" 
means  th^  church.  We  farther  admit,  that  the  Jews, 
as  a  nation,  were  engrafted  into  the  olive  tree,  or 
church.  But  although  in  being  possessed  of  "the 
oracles  of  God,"  Rom.  iii.  1,  2;  they  "partook  of  the 
root  and  fatness  of  the  olive  tree,"  Rom.  xi.  17;  "they 
were  not  all  children,  because  they  were  the  seed  of 
Abraham."  Rom.  ix.  7.  It  no  more  follows  then, 
because  they  were  blessed  with  a  pious  ancestry,  and 
had  been  brought  into  the  church  externally,  by  a  sa- 
cred rite,  that  those  "  branches"  which  "were  broken 
off  because  of  unbelief,"  Rom.  xii.  17,  20,  must  at 
some  time  have  been  truly  pious,  than  that  the  bap- 
tized children  of  pious  parents  must  be  pious  now.  If 
then,  any  of  the  branches  that  were  broken  off,  were 
never  pious,  (and  we  know  they  were  not,)  how  could 
they  have  fallen  from  grace  in  the  sense  contended 
for?  That  not  a  saint  was  lost  by  the  breaking  off  of 
some  of  the  branches,  is  evident  from  what  is  said  in 
the  first  part  of  the  chapter,  "  God  hath  not  cast  away 

*  Doctrinal  Tracts,  page  217. 


OF  XnE  SAINTS.  829 

his  people  whom  he  foreknew."  "What  then?  Israel 
hath  not  obtained  that  which  he  seeketh  for,  but  the 
election  hath  obtained  it,  and  the  rest  were  blinded." 
Rom.  xi.  2,  7. 

But,  continues  the  General  Conference  again, 
"  Those  who  are  branches  of  the  true  vine,  of  whom 
Christ  says,  '  I  am  the  vine,  ye  are  the  branches,'  may 
nevertheless  so  fall  from  God  as  to  perish  everlast- 
ingly. For  thus  saith  our  blessed  Lord  himself,  '  I 
am  the  vine,  and  my  Father  is  the  husbandman. 
Every  branch  in  me  that  beareth  not  fruit,  he  taketh 
away.  I  am  the  vine,  ye  are  the  branches.  If  a  man 
abide  not  in  me,  he  is  cast  forth  as  a  branch,  and  is 
withered:  and  men  gather  them  and  cast  them  into 
the  fire,  and  they  are  burned.'  John  xv.  1,  6.  Here 
we  may  observe,  1.  The  persons  spoken  of,  were  in 
Christ,  branches  of  the  true  vine.  2.  Some  of  these 
branches  abide  not  in  Christ,  but  the  Father  taketh 
them  away.  3.  The  branches  which  abide  not  are 
cast  forth,  cast  out  of  Christ  and  his  church.  4.  They 
are  not  only  cast  forth,  but  are  withered,  consequently 
never  grafted  in  again.  Nay,  5.  They  are  not  only 
cast  forth  and  withered,  but  also  cast  into  the  fire,  and 
so  they  are  burned.  It  is  not  possible  for  words  more 
strongly  to  declare  that  even  those  who  are  now 
branches  of  the  true  vine,  may  yet  so  fall  as  to  perish 
everlastingly."* 

Notwithstanding  this  strong  confidence,  we  may 
safely  admit  the  whole  argument,  without  admitting  the 
doctrine  of  falling  from  grace.  For  as  "  there  are  some 
in  Christ  Jesus,  who  walk  not  after  the  flesh,  but  after 
the  spirit,"  Rom.  viii.  1,  it  follows  that  there  are  some 
"in  Christ  Jesus  who  walk  after  the  flesh"  merely. 
In  other  words,  as  a  man  may  be  in  the  church  with- 
out piety,  he  may  be  in  Christ  by  profession  only. 
"For  he  is  not  a  Jew,"  who  is  one  outwardly,  neither 

*  Doctrinal  Tracts,  pp.  220,  221. 


324  PRESEVERANCE 

is  that  circumcision  which  is  outward  in  the  flesh,  but 
he  is  a  Jew  which  is  one  inwardly,  and  circumcision 
is  of  the  heart,  in  the  spirit,  and  not  in  the  letter." 
Rom.  ii.  28,  29.  ''Every  branch"  therefore  of  the 
vine,  that  beareth  not  fruit,  may  be  taken  away  and 
wither"  for  want  of  the  restraints  and  wholesome  in- 
fluences of  the  Church,  "and  be  cast  into  the  fire  and 
burned,"  without  having  ever  derived  more  nourish- 
ment from  Christ  than  those  branches  derived  from 
the  olive  tree,  that  "were  broken  ofi"  because  of  unbe- 
lief," and  who  were  never  pious. 

Having  thus  disposed  of  a  fourth  objection,  we 
proceed. 

"  Fifthly,  those  who  so  eff'ectually  know  Christ,  as 
by  that  knowledge  to  have  escaped  the  pollutions  of 
the  world,  may  yet  fall  back  into  these  pollutions  and 
perish  everlastingly.  For  thus  saith  the  Apostle 
Peter,  '  If  after  they  have  escaped  the  pollutions  of 
the  world  through  the  knowledge  of  the  Lord  and  Sa- 
viour Jesus  Christ,'  (the  only  possible  way  of  escap- 
ing them,)  'they  are  again  entangled  therein  and 
overcome,  the  latter  end  is  worse  with  them  than  the 
beginning.  For  it  had  been  better  for  them  not  to 
have  known  the  way  of  righteousness,  than  after  they 
have  known  it,  to  turn  from  the  holy  commandment 
delivered  unto  them.'  2  Pet.  ii.  20,  21. 

"  That  the  knowledge  they  had  attained  was  an  in- 
ward experimental  knowledge,  is  evident  from  that 
Other  expression — 'they  had  escaped  the  pollutions 
of  the  world,'  an  expression,  parallel  to  that  in 
the  preceding  chapter,  verse  4,  '  Having  escaped  the 
corruption  that  is  in  the  world.'  And  in  both  chap- 
ters this  eff"ect  is  ascribed  to  the  same  cause,  termed  in 
the  first,  '  the  knowledge  of  him  who  hath  called  us  to 
glory  and  virtue.'  In  the  second,  more  explicitly, 
*the  knowleclge  of  the  Lord  and  Saviour  Jesus  Christ.' 
And  yet  they  lost  that  experimental  knowledge  of 
Christ,  and  the  way  of  righteousness.     They  fell  back 


OF  THE   SAINTS. 

into  the  same  pollutions  they  had  escaped,  and  were 
again  entangled  and  overcome.  They  'turned  from 
the  holy  commandment  delivered  unto  them,'  so  that 
their  latter  end  was  worse  than  the  beginning."* 

To  this  we  reply,  the  animals  with  which  these 
apostates  are  in  the  next  verse  compared,  viz.  dogs 
and  swine,  forbid  the  idea  of  their  having  undergone 
anything  more  than  an  external  reformation.  A  dog 
having  disgorged  the  pollutions  of  his  stomach,  swal- 
lows it  again;  and  the  swine  that  is  washed  from  the 
defilement  of  the  mire,  returns  to  it  again.  If  then, 
these  animals  may  for  a  time  put  off  their  pollutions 
without  a  change  of  nature,  surely  men,  who,  from 
their  principles  and  habits  are  compared  to  them,  may 
undergo  a  great  external  reformation,  and  make  a 
profession  of  religion  without  a  change  of  heart.  And 
when  they  go  back  to  their  old  habits,  nothing  could 
more  strikingly  express  what  they  do,  than  to  say, 
"It  has  happened  unto  them  according  to  the  true 
proverb,  The  dog  is  turned  to  his  own  vomit  again, 
and  the  sow  that  was  washed,  to  her  wallowing  in  the 
mire."  2  Pet.  ii.  22. 

As  to  what  is  said  of  their  having  "escaped  the 
pollutions  of  the  world  through  the  knowledge  of 
Christ,"  no  doubt  many  of  the  gentiles  underwent  a 
great  external  reformation  through  the  preaching  of 
the  Apostles;  yet  "having  no  root  in  themselves,  they 
endured  but  for  a  while."  Matt.  xiii.  21.  And  being 
"again  entangled  and  overcome,"  like  all  relapses, 
"the  latter  end  was  worse  than  the  beginning." 

But  let  us  hear  the  General  Conference  again. 

"  Sixthly,  those  who  see  the  light  of  the  glory  of 
God  in  the  face  of  Jesus  Christ,  and  who  have  been 
made  partakers  of  the  Holy  Ghost,  of  the  witness  and 
fruits  of  the  Spirit,  may  nevertheless,  so  fall  from 
God,  as  to  perish  everlastingly.     For  thus  saith  the 

*  Doctrinal  Tracts,  pp.  223,  224. 
28 


PERSEVERANCE 

inspired  writer  to  the  Hebrews,  'It  is  impossible  for 
those  who  were  on«e  enlightened,  and  have  tasted  of 
the  heavenly  gift,  and  were  made  partakers  of  the 
Holy  Ghost — if  they  shall  fall  away,  to  renew  them 
again  to  repentance;  seeing  they  crucify  to  themselves 
the  Son  of  God  afresh,  and  put  him  to  an  open 
shame.'  Heb.  vi.  4,  6. 

"Must  not  every  unprejudiced  person  see  the  ex- 
pressions here  used  are  so  strong  and  clear,  that  they 
cannot,  without  gross  and  palpable  wresting,  be  under- 
stood of  any  but  true  believers? 

"  'They  were  once  enlightened,'  an  expression  fa- 
miliar with  the  Apostle,  and  never  by  him  applied  to 
any  but  believers.  So,  'the  God  of  our  Lord  Jesus 
Christ  give  unto  you  the  spirit  of  wisdom  and  revela- 
tion: the  eyes  of  your  understanding  being  enlight- 
ened, that  ye  may  know  what  is  the  hope  of  his 
calling,  ard  what  is  the  exceeding  greatness  of  his 
power  toward  them  that  believe."  Eph.  i.  17 — 19. 
So  again:  'God  who  commanded  the  light  to  shine 
out  of  darkness,  hath  shined  into  our  hearts,  to  give 
the  light  of  the  knowledge  of  the  glory  of  God  in  the 
face  of  Jesus  Christ.'  2  Cor.  iv,  6.  This  is  the  light 
which  no  unbelievers  have.  They  are  utter  stran- 
gers to  such  enlightening.  '  The  god  of  this  world 
hath  blinded  the  minds  of  them  which  believe  not,  lest 
the  light  of  the  glorious  gospel  of  Christ  should  shine 
unto  them.'  Verse  4. 

"  '  They  had  tasted  of  the  heavenly  gift,  (emphati- 
cally so  called,)  and  were  made  partakers  of  the  Holy 
Ghost.'  So  St.  Peter  likewise  couples  them  together. 
'Be  baptized  for  the  remission  of  sins,  and  ye  shall 
receive  the  gift  of  the  Holy  Ghost,'  Acts  ii.  38; 
whereby  the  love  of  God  was  shed  abroad  in  their 
hearts  with  all  the  other  fruits  of  the  Spirit.  Yea,  it 
is  remarkable  that  our  Lord  himself,  in  his  grand 
commission  to  St.  Paul,  (to  which  the  Apostle  proba- 
bly alludes  in  these  words,)  comprises  all  these  three 


OF  THE   SAINTS.  327 

particulars :  *  I  send  thee  to  open  their  eyes,  and  to 
turn  them  from  darkness  to  light,  and  from  the  power 
of  Satan  unto  God,'  (here  contracted  into  that  one 
expression,  'they  were  enlightened,')  that  they  may 
receive  'forgiveness  of  sins,'  ('the  heavenly  gift') 
'and  an  inheritance  among  them  that  are  sanctified,' 
Acts  xxvi.  18,  which  are  made  'partakers  of  the 
Holy  Ghost'  of  all  the  sanctifying  influences  of  the 
Spirit. 

"  The  expression,  '  They  tasted  of  the  heavenly 
gift,'  is  taken  from  the  Psalmist,  'Taste  and  see  that 
the  Lord  is  good.'  Psalm  xxxiv.  8.  As  if  he  had 
said,  'Be  ye  assured  of  his  love  as  of  anything  ye  see 
with  your  eyes.  And  let  the  assurance  thereof  be 
sweet  to  your  soul,  as  honey  is  to  your  tongue.' 

"And  yet  those  who  had  been  thus  'enlightened,' 
had  'tasted'  this  'gift,'  and  been  thus  'partakers  of 
the  Holy  Ghost,'  so  'fell  away,'  that  it  was  impossible 
to  renew  them  again  to  repentance."* 

But  notwithstanding  the  General  Conference  are  so 
sure  that  "the  expressions"  under  consideration  "can- 
not be  understood  of  any  but  true  believers,"  without 
noticing  the  sophistries  by  which  they  undertake  to 
sustain  their  position,  we  undertake  to  show  that  they 
do  not  necessarily  imply  any  such  thing.  We  will 
take  them  up  in  the  order  in  which  they  stand. 

"Those  who  were  once  enlightened."  Num.  xxiv. 
2,  3,  &c.  "And  the  Spirit  of  God  came  upon  Ba- 
laam, and  he  took  up  his  parable  and  said,  Balaam  the 
son  of  Beor  hath  said,  and  the  man  whose  eyes  are 
opened  hath  said,"  &c.  And  yet  this  Balaam  "so 
loved  the  wages  of  unrighteousness,"  2  Peter  ii.  15, 
that  in  the  face  of  the  express  command  of  God,  Num. 
xxii.  12,  he  was  intensely  anxious  to  curse  the  people 
of  God  that  he  might  obtain  the  wages.  See  Num. 
xxii.  23.  .^ 

*  Doctrinal  Tracts,  pp,  225,  226. 


328  PERSEVERANCE 

"And  have  tasted  of  the  heavenly  gift,  and  were 
made  partakers  of  the  Holy  Ghost."  Matt.  x.  1 — 4. 
"  And  when  Jesus  had  called  unto  him  his  twelve  dis- 
ciples, he  gave  them  power  against  unclean  spirits,  to 
cast  them  out,  and  to  heal  all  manner  of  sickness,  and 
all  manner  of  disease.  Now  the  names  of  the  twelve 
Apostles  are  these:  the  first,  Simon,  &c.,  and  Judas 
Iscariot  who  also  betrayed  him."  Did  not  Judas  Is- 
cariot  then,  taste  of  the  heavenly  gift,  and  partake  of 
the  Holy  Ghost  in  his  miraculous  powers?  Yet  he  was 
at  no  time  a  believer,  John  vi.  64,  and  in  his  dispo- 
sition he  resembled  the  devil.  John  vi.  70. 

"And  have  tasted  of  the  good  word  of  God."  Matt, 
xiii.  20,  21.  "  But  he  that  received  the  seed  in  stony 
places,  the  same  is  he  that  heareth  the  word,  and  anon 
with  joy  receiveth  it,  yet  he  hath  not  root  in  himself, 
but  endureth  for  a  while." 

"  And  (have  tasted)  of  the  powers  of  the  world  to 
come."  Acts  xxiv.  25.  "And  as  Paul  reasoned  of 
righteousness,  temperance,  and  a  judgment  to  come, 
Felix  trembled,  and  said.  Go  thy  way  for  this  time, 
when  I  have  a  convenient  season  I  will  call  for 
thee."* 

■  And  thus,  persons  may  experience  every  thing  stated 
in  this  awful  passage,  without  being  truly  converted 
to  God. 

The  reader  will  notice  the  consequences  of  falling 
from  grace.  "It  is  impossible  to  renew  them  again 
to  repentance."  This  part  of  this  passage  is  strangely 
overlooked  by  Arminians.  Admitting  that  they  have 
made  out  their  case,  viz.  that  "  If  they  shall  fall 
away,"  implies  that  pious  men  may  fall  from  grace, 
"it  is  impossible  to  renew  them  again  to  repent- 
ance," implies  that  they  can  never  be  restored, 
which,  if  allowed,  would  almost  break  up  Arminian 
salvation. 

*  Calvinistic  Magazine. 


OF  THE   SAINTS.  829 

"But,"  asks  Mr.  Wesley,  "does  not  Christ  say, 
*He  that  believeth  hath  everlasting  life?'  John  iii.  36, 
'and  he  that  believeth  on  him  that  sent  me,  hath  ever- 
lasting life,  and  shall  not  come  into  condemnation,  but 
is  passed  from  death  unto  life?'  "  verse  24.  In  reply 
to  which  he  says,  "  I  answer,  1.  The  love  of  God  is 
everlasting  life.  It  is,  in  substance,  the  life  of  heaven. 
Now  every  one  that  believes,  loves  God,  and  therefore 
'hath  everlasting  life.'  2.  'Every  one  that  believes' 
is,  therefore,  'passed  from  death  unto  life;'  and,  3. 
'Shall  not  come  into  condemnation,' if  he  endureth  in 
the  faith  unto  the  end,  according  to  our  Lord's  own 
words,  'He  that  endureth  to  the  end  shall  be 
saved;'  and  'Verily  I  say  unto  you,  if  a  man  keep 
my  saying,  he  shall  never  see  death.'  "  John  viii.  51.* 

Here,  it  is  admitted,  that  "  every  one  that  believes, 
loves  God,"  but  it  is  contended,  that  "the  love  of  God 
is  the  everlasting  life"  referred  to,  by  Christ,  when  he 
says,  "He  that  believeth,  hath  everlasting  life."  Let 
us  try  a  single  passage  by  this  new  translation. 

Christ  says,  John  x.  27,  28,  "  My  sheep  hear  my 
voice,  and  I  know  them,  and  they  follow  me,  and  I 
give  unto  them  eternal  life,  and  they  shall  never  pe- 
rish," &c.  Now,  according  to  the  new  translation, 
when  Christ  says,  "I  give  unto  them  eternal  life,"  it 
should  be,  "I  give  unto  them  the  love  of  God."  But 
this  brings  up  a  difficulty.  Those  who  follow  Christ, 
must,  at  the  same  time,  love  him ;  and  if  they  love 
him,  they  will  love  God ;  then  it  will  follow,  that  when 
'he  says,  "I  give  unto  them  eternal  life,"  he  means  to 
say,  "I  give  to  those  that  love  God,  the  love  of  God." 
Since,  therefore,  the  rendering  of  Mr.  Wesley  and  the 
General  Conference  involves  such  an  absurdity,  we 
greatly  prefer  the  rendering  of  Christ. 

Here,  however,  we  are  met  by  alleged  facts,  and  as 
a  Quaker  once  remarked   to  us,  "facts  are  facts.'* 

*  Doctrinal  Tracts,  page  216. 

28* 


330  PERSEVERANCE 

"  Adam,"  it  is  said,  "  "was  made  in  the  image  of  God," 
yet  he  fell;  and  certain  "angels,  which  kept  not  their 
first  estate,  are  reserved  in  everlasting  chains  unto 
the  judgment  of  the  great  day."  Why  then,  may  not 
Christians  fall?  God  loved  these  angels,  and  our 
progenitors,  as  much  as  he  loves  us,  and  had  as  much 
power  to  uphold  them."* 

To  this  we  reply.  Under  the  old  covenant  of 
works,  man  was  entrusted  with  grace,  yet  soon  be- 
came a  bankrupt.  But  under  the  new  covenant  of 
grace,  Christ,  who  is  "made  a  surety  of  a  better  tes- 
tament," Heb.  vi.  22,  "is  the  mediator  of  a  better 
covenant,  established  upon  better  promises,"  Heb.  vii. 
6.  He,  therefore,  retains  the  stock  of  grace  for  his 
people  in  his  own  hands,  and  imparts  it  to  them  ac- 
cording to  their  necessities.  Hence,  he  says,  "  My 
grace  is  sufficient  for  thee,"  2  Cor.  xii.  9;  "and  as 
thy  days,  so  shall  thy  strength  be."  Deut.  xxxiii.  25. 
Upon  such  a  surety,  therefore,  and  this  "better  cove- 
nant," and  these  "better  promises,"  the  believer 
surely  may  rely.  In  reference  to  angels,  we  suppose 
that,  like  our  first  parents,  they,  for  a  time,  were  in  a 
state  of  trial,  and  that  as  our  first  parents  by  "  eat- 
ing of  the  tree  of  life  would  have  lived  for  ever,"  Gen. 
iii.  29,  with  the  "angels  who  kept  their  first  estate," 
the  day  of  trial  is  over.  "But,"  says  the  Rev.  J.  L. 
Gilbert,  of  the  Baltimore  Conference,  "  There  is  an- 
other prominent  example  of  final  apostacy,  contained 
in  the  Scriptures,  which  our  author  (llev.  H.  H. 
Paine,)  has  seen  fit  to  pass  by  in  silence,  notwith- 
standing his  pledge  to  notice  the  strongest  objections. 
...  I  wonder  if  he  never  heard  of  the  case  of  Saul, 
king  of  Israel,  as  an  objection  to  his  favourite  doctrine, 
of  whom  it  is  said,  '  God  gave  him  another  heart  .  .  . 
and  the  Spirit  of  God  came  upon  him,'  &c.  But  how 
was  it  with  Saul  when  he  rebelled  against  the  will  of 

*  Compendium  of  Methodism,  page  280. 


OF  THE   SAINTS.  88| 

God  ?  Was  he  a  sickly  Christian  too  ?  We  are  told, 
1  Sam.  xxxi.  14,  *But  the  Spirit  of  the  Lord  departed 
from  Saul,'  and  did  he  ever  recover?  No,  never,  for 
the  Bible  assures  us  that  he  lived  a  life  of  wickedness, 
and  died  a  violent  and  horrible  death,  a  victim  of  his 
own  spear,  a  self-murderer."* 

From  the  fact  that  "God  gave  to  Saul  another 
heart,"  and  "  the  Spirit  of  the  Lord  came  upon  him," 
it  is  inferred  that  he  was  thereby  made  a  pious  man; 
and  because  "  the  Spirit  of  the  Lord  departed  from 
him,"  it  is  inferred  that  he  lost  his  piety.  Let  us 
see.  By  comparing  1  Sam.  xiii.  1,  with  1  Sam.  xiv. 
85,  we  learn  that  Saul  was  king  over  Israel  more  than 
two  years  before  "he  built  an  altar  unto  the  Lord," 
and  that  "was  the  first  he  built." 

What!  a  man  king  over  the  people  of  God  more 
than  two  years  before  he  built  the  first  altar  to  the 
Lord  he  ever  built,  and  he  a  pious  man  ?  Such  an 
idea  is  out  of  the  question.  Besides,  nearly  every 
recorded  act  of  Saul  of  a  religious  character,  after  his 
swpposed  conversion,  savours  far  more  of  rash  impiety 
than  it  does  of  piety.  If  then  the  tree  may  be  known 
by  its  fruit,  this  was  a  corrupt  tree.  What  then  are 
we  to  understand  by  the  expressions,  "God  gave  him 
another  heart;"  "the  Spirit  of  God  came  upon  him," 
and  "  the  Spirit  of  the  Lord  departed  from  him  ?"  In 
the  tenth  chapter  of  1st  Samuel,  we  learn  that  imme- 
diately after  he  was  anointed  king,  the  prophet  told 
him,  that  when,  on  his  journey  home,  he  should  come 
to  a  certain  place,  he  would  be  met  by  a  company  of 
prophets  prophesying — that  "  the  Spirit  of  the  Lord 
would  come  upon  him,  and  he  would  prophesy,  and  be 
turned  into  another  man,"  that  is,  into  a  prophet. 
Accordingly,  when  he  came  to  the  place  that  had 
been  designated,  and  the  prophets  met  him,  "  the 
Spirit  of  God   came  upon  him   and   he   prophesied 

*  Review  of  Mr.  Paine's  Sermon,  page  26. 


332  PERSEVERANCE 

among  them,  and  the  people  said  one  to  another,  Is 
Saul  also,  among  the  prophets?"  Here  then,  we  sup- 
pose, is  the  fulfilment  of  all  that  was  meant  by  the 
expressions,  "God  gave  him  another  heart,"  and  "the 
Spirit  of  God  came  upon  him."  Now,  unless  it  can 
be  shown  that  because  a  man  was  a  true  prophet  he 
was  necessarily  pious,  it  cannot  be  shown  that  Saul 
was  pious.  We  can  show  exactly  to  the  contrary. 
When  Paul  says,  "  Though  I  have  the  gift  of  pro- 
phesy, and  understand  all  mysteries,  and  all  know- 
ledge, and  have  not  charity,  I  am  nothing,"  1  Cor. 
xiii.  2,  he  seems  to  intimate  that  a  man  might  be  a 
true  prophet  without  being  himself  pious.  Accord- 
ingly, we  read  of  Balaam,  who  although  a  true  pro- 
phet, yet  so  "loved  the  wages  of  unrighteousness," 
2  Pet.  ii.  15,  that  he  made  great  effort  to  pronounce  a 
prophetic  curse  upon  the  people  of  God,  that  he  might 
obtain  the  wages,  though  he  had  been  forbidden  by 
the  Almighty  to  do  so.     Num.  xxii.  xxiii.  xxiv. 

Our  Saviour  speaks  of  some  also,  to  whom  he  will 
say  in  the  day  of  judgment,  although  they  had  pro- 
phesied in  his  name,  "1  never  knew  you."  Matt.  vii. 
23.  As  then  "the  Spirit  of  God  came  upon  Saul"  so 
as  to  make  him  a  prophet,  without  making  him  pious, 
surely,  when  it  "departed  from  him"  it  does  not  fol- 
low that  he  lost  his  piety.  If  he  did,  he  must  have 
lost  what  he  had  not  possessed. 

We  come  next  to  the  case  of  David.  His  case  is 
stated  thus: 

"  Mr.  Paine  has  it,  that  when  David's  soul  was  pol- 
luted by  adultery,  and  stained  with  the  blood  of 
(Uriah),  he  was  nothing  more  at  worst  than  (a)  sickly 
Christian,"  (thus)  "teaching  that  a  man  may  be  an 
adulterer  and  murderer,  and  yet  be  a  Christian."* 

In  reply  to  this,  we  remark,  that  true  piety  may 
exist  in  connection  with  practices  under  particular 

*  Gilbert's  Eeyiew  of  Mr.  Paine's  Sermon,  pp.  24,  25. 


OF  THE   SAINTS.  883 

circumstances,  whereas  it  could  not  exist  in  connection 
with  the  same  practices,  if  the  circumstances  are  what 
they  often  are  in  other  places.  That  there  are  rare 
cases  of  piety  among  the  Roman  Catholics,  no  well- 
informed  person  doubts;  yet  piety  could  not  exist  in 
connection  with  such  mummeries  among  Protestants. 
Concubinage  or  polygamy  would  be  utterly  inconsist- 
ent with  piety  in  any  part  of  Christendom  now;  yet 
Abraham,  the  father  of  the  faithful,  had  a  wife  and  a 
concubine ;  and  the  patriarch  Jacob,  of  whose  piety 
no  one  doubts,  had  two  wives  and  several  concubines. 
Without  a  yord  of  revelation  on  the  subject  beyond 
the  fact,  that  one  of  each  sex  was  created  at  the  be- 
ginning, these  good  men  fell  in  with  what  was  a  gene- 
ral custom  around  them,  and  seem  never  to  have 
supposed  that  in  so  doing  there  was  the  least  impro- 
priety. The  same  may  be  said  of  the  pious  kings  of 
Israel  also,  and  their  numerous  wives,  and  numerous 
concubines. 

In  the  days  of  David,  monarchy  and  tyranny  may 
be  said  to  have  been  universal.  It  is  not  so  astonish- 
ing, therefore,  that  he  should  have  committed  a  sin 
which  would  have  scarcely  been  considered  a  crime  in 
any  other  sovereign  of  that  day.  Although  then,  it 
is  a  lasting  stain  upon  his  character,  yet  when  we 
hear  him  confess,  as  soon  as  he  is  charged  with  the 
offence,  "I  have  sinned,"  2  Sam.  xii.  7 — 13,  and  see 
the  evidence  of  his  deep  repentance.  Psalm  li.,  we 
cannot  reasonably  doubt  of  a  pious  principle  within. 
But  if  such  was  the  penitence  of  David  for  a  sin  com- 
mitted under  the  comparatively  dim  light  in  which  he 
lived,  is  not  the  impenitence  of  Messrs.  Wesley,  Wat- 
son, Fisk,  and  the  General  Conference,  for  their  mis- 
representations, garblings,  forgeries,  &c.,  committed 
under  the  blaze  of  a  meridian  sun,  far  stronger  evi- 
dence that  they  themselves  had  fallen  from  grace 
than  that  David  had? 

We  come  to  notice  next,  what  is  said  of  Solomon. 


334  PERSEVERANCE 

In  Tract  No.  13  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal  Church, 
we  have  his  case  stated  as  follows,  viz.  "  David  in 
giving  advice  to  his  son  Solomon,  exhorts  him  thus: 
*And  thou,  Solomon  my  son,  know  thou  the  God  of 
thy  father,  and  serve  him  with  a  perfect  heart,  and 
with  a  willing  mind ;  for  the  Lord  searcheth  all  hearts ; 
and  understandeth  the  imaginations  of  the  thoughts. 
If  thou  seek  him,  he  will  be  found  of  thee;  but  if  thou 
forsake  him,  he  will  cast  thee  oflF  for  ever.'  1  Chron. 
xxviii.  9. 

"  But  it  is  manifest  that  Solomon  failed  in  his  du^y, 
and  did  forsake  the  Lord.  Some  of  the  l^st  accounts 
we  have  of  him,  except  the  bare  mention  of  his  death, 
are  these — '  Solomon  went  after  Ashtoreth,  the  god- 
dess of  the  Zidonians,  and  after  Milcom,  the  abomi- 
nation of  the  Ammonites ;  and  Solomon  did  evil  in  the 
sight  of  the  Lord.'  1  Kings  xi.  5,  6. 

"  Again,  the  word  of  inspiration  declares,  '  Then 
did  Solomon  build  a  high  place  for  Chemosh,  the 
abomination  of  Moab,  in  the  hill  that  is  before  Jeru- 
salem; and  for  Molech,  the  abomination  of  the  chil- 
dren of  Ammon.'  'And  the  Lord  was  angry  with 
Solomon,  because  his  heart'  (observe,  '  his  heart')  '  was 
turned  from  the  Lord  God  of  Israel,  which  had  ap- 
peared unto  him.'  1  Kings  xi.  7,  9.  We  read  posi- 
tively, verse  40,  that  '  Solomon  sought  to  kill  Jero- 
boam.' And  the  Apostle  John  assures  us,  that 
'  Whosoever  hateth  his  brother  is  a  murderer,  and  ye 
know,'  (adds  he)  'that  no  murderer  hath  eternal  life 
abiding  in  him.'  "  1  John  iii.  15. 

In  addition  to  the  above,  we  have  the  following 
from  the  Rev.  J.  L.  Gilbert.  "  Where  does  Mr.  Paine 
find  that  Solomon  recovered  from  his  apostacy?  We 
challenge  him  to  show  a  syllable  to  that  eifect  in  the 
Bible."* 

That  Solomon  was  pious  in  the  earlier  part  of  his 

*  Review  of  Mr.  Paine's  Sermon,  page  25. 


OF  THE  SAINTS.  335 

reign,  is  not  questioned,  but  it  is  contended  that  he 
fell  from  grace  and  did  not  recover.  These  then  are 
the  points  we  have  to  refute. 

We  have  already  shown,  that  it  is  not  easy  to  deter- 
mine how  far  a  man  may  fall  into  sin  without  falling 
from  grace,  and  that  if  the  doctrine  contended  for  be 
sustained,  viz.  that  a  righteous  man  who  sins  shall 
die  in  his  sins,  Messrs.  Wesley,  Watson,  Fisk,  the 
General  Conference,  &c.,  are  fallen  beyond  recovery. 
It  is  true,  Mr.  Gilbert  says,  "that  David  and  Peter 
recovered  from  their  backslidings,  and  in  their  reco- 
very we  have  an  infallible  pledge  that  any  other  back- 
sliding child  of  God  may  recover."*  But  it  is  true 
also,  that  this  is  directly  against  the  doctrine  as  it  is 
again  and  again  laid  down  by  the  founder  of  Method- 
ism and  the  General  Conference.  We  have  seen  also, 
that  eminent  piety  may  exist  in  connection  with  prac- 
tices under  particular  circumstances,  whereas,  it  could 
not  exist  in  connection  with  these  practices,  if  the 
circumstances  were  as  they  are  with  us,  and  hence  that 
we  are  not  to  judge  the  saints  of  the  Old  Testament 
as  Ave  would  judge  ourselves.  Now  these  considera- 
tions weigh  powerfully  in  the  case  before  us. 

Again:  although  Solomon  fell  into  great  and  nume- 
rous sins,  God  in  permitting  them,  seems  to  have 
intended  to  teach  all  future  ages  how  vain  it  is  to  ex- 
pect any  real  good  from  anything  short  of  himself: 
hence  he  selected  the  most  favoured  of  the  sons  of 
men  for  the  experiment.  "For  what  can  the  man  do 
that  cometh  after  the  king?"  Eccl.  ii.  12.  "I,  the 
preacher,  was  king  over  Israel  in  Jerusalem.  And  I 
gave  my  heart  to  seek  and  search  out  by  wisdom  con- 
cerning all  things  that  are  done  under  heaven."  "I 
have  seen  gll  the  works  that  are  done  under  the  sun, 
and  behold,  all  is  vanity  and  vexation  of  spirit."  "I 
communed  with  mine  own  heart,  saying,  Lo,  I  am  come 

*  Review  of  Mr.  Paine's  Sermon,  page  25. 


336  PERSEVERANCE 

to  great  estate,  and  have  gotten  more  wisdom  than  all 
that  have  been  before  me  in  Jerusalem."  "  I  said, 
Go  to  now,  I  will  prove  thee  with  mirth ;  therefore 
enjoy  pleasure,  and  behold,  this  also  is  vanity.  I  said 
of  laughter.  It  is  mad :  and  of  mirth.  What  doeth  it  ?  I 
sought  in  mine  heart  to  give  myself  unto  wine,  and 
to  lay  hold  on  folly,  till  I  might  see  what  was  that 
good  for  the  sons  of  men,  which  they  should  do  under 
the  heaven  all  the  days  of  their  life," — "  and  whatso- 
ever mine  eyes  desired,  I  kept  not  from  them,  I  with- 
held not  my  heart  from  any  joy."  "Then  I  looked 
on  all  the  works  that  my  hands  had  wrought,  and  on 
the  labour  that  I  had  laboured  to  do,  and  behold,  all 
was  vanity  and  vexation  of  spirit."  Eccl.  i.  ii.  That 
he  did  not  totally  apostatize,  appears, 

1.  From  the  reserve  expressed,  1  Kings  xi.  4 — 6. 
"His  heart  was  not  perfect  with  the  Lord  his  God,  as 
was  the  heart  of  David  his  father."  "  And  Solomon 
did  evil  in  the  sight  of  the  Lord,  and  went  not  fully 
after  the  Lord,  as  did  David  his  father."  Now  this 
was  spoken  of  him  in  reference  to  the  time  of  his 
greatest  wickedness. 

2.  From  what  is  said  in  reference  to  all  the  pious, 
"Though  he  fall,  he  shall  not  be  utterly  cast  down." 
"Nevertheless  my  loving  kindness  will  I  not  utterly 
take  from  him,  nor  suffer  my  faithfulness  to  fail." 

It  is  true  that  Solomon  did  seek  to  kill  Jeroboam, 
but  it  is  true  also,  that  it  was  because  Jeroboam  had 
"lifted  up  his  hand  against  him."  1  Kings  xi.  26. 
Unless,  therefore,  it  would  be  wrong  for  the  civil  au- 
thority to  quell  treason  with  the  death  of  the  traitor, 
it  was  not  wrong  for  king  Solomon  to  seek  to  kill 
Jeroboam. 

But  it  is  said,  that  the  sins  that  have  been  mentioned 
are  "some  of  the  last  accounts  we  have  of  Solomon's 
life."  It  is  to  be  borne  in  mind,  however,  that  events 
recorded  in  the  Scriptures,  are  not  always  recorded  in 
chronological  order.     There  is  not  the  slightest  evi- 


OP   THE   SAINTS.  8Sf 

dence  therefore,  that  these  acts  were  among  the  last 
acts  of  his  life.  Indeed,  the  book  of  Ecclesiastes  is  at 
war  with  that  supposition. 

That  he  was  a  pious  man  when  he  wrote  the  Book 
of  Ecclesiastes,  in  which  he  confessed  the  sins  of  which 
it  is  said  he  did  not  repent,  there  can  be  no  doubt. 
And  that  he  did  this  late  in  life,  there  is  abundant 
evidence  in  the  book.  Take  this  in  connection  with 
what  is  said  of  the  sacred  writers  generally,  viz.  that 
"  Holy  men  of  God  spake  ^s  they  were  moved  by  the 
Holy  Ghost,"  2  Pet.  i.  21,  and  we  think,  notwith- 
standing the  "challenge"  of  Mr.  Gilbert,  there  is  evi- 
dence that  he  died  a  pious  man. 

The  case  of  Judas  Iscariot  stands  next  on  the 
docket.  In  reference  to  him  we  have  the  following  in 
the  "  Compendium  of  Methodism,  pp.  277,  278,"  viz. 

"To  believe  that  Christ  called  a  devil  to  the  Apos- 
tleship,  and  flattered  him  with  so  many  endearing 
titles,  and  other  intimations  of  his  entire  confidence 
as  he  did,  exceeds  our  credulity.  If  he  was  a  hypo- 
crite, the  Saviour  knew  it  at  the  time  he  called  him. 
But  he  treated  him  as  a  real  friend,  promoted  and  ca- 
ressed him  as  a  disciple  indeed."  "In  view"  (then) 
"  of  the  facts  that  Judas  was  appointed  to  the  highest 
oflSce  in  the  church,  and  clothed  with  power  against 
unclean  spirits  to  cast  them  out,  and  to  heal  all  man- 
ner of  disease,  and  sent  forth  to  preach  the  kingdom 
of  heaven,  raise  the  dead,  and  cast  out  devils,  and  to 
be  hated  of  all  men,  with  the  promise,  if  he  should 
'  endure  to  the  end,'  he  should  be  saved,  and  the  en- 
couragement that  the  'hairs  of  his  head  were  all 
numbered,'  and  treated  in  other  respects  by  the  Sa- 
viour as  his  '  own  familiar  friend,'  till  just  before  the 
betrayal — in  view  of  these  facts,  we  are  constrained 
to  believe  that  Judas  was  at  first,  and  for  the  most  of 
the  time,  a  sincere  Christian.  There  was  no  encour- 
agement to  be  a  hypocrite  at  that  age.  It  cost  too 
much.  Those  who  would  be  Christians  were  required 
29 


338  PERSEVERANCE 

to  take  up  their  cross  and  follow  Christ,  forsaking 
father  and  mother  and  all  else.  None  were  received 
on  any  other  terms." 

To  this  we  reply,  that  human  reasoning,  though 
very  plausible,  is  often  wonderfully  at  variance  with 
facts,  and  when  it  is  so,  it  must  be  fallacious.  We  will 
now  see  whether  this  is  not  so  in  the  case  before  us. 

In  John  vi.  70,  71,  Christ  said  to  his  disciples,  and 
the  connection  shows  that  it  was  in  the  early  part  of 
his  ministry,  "  Have  not  I  chosen  you  twelve,  and  one 
of  you  is  a  devil?  He  spake  of  Judas  Iscariot,  the 
son  of  Simon,  for  he  it  was  that  should  betray  him, 
being  one  of  the  twelve."  Again,  the  Apostle  John 
speaking  of  Judas,  "six  days  before  the  passover," 
soon  after  which  our  Saviour  was  betrayed,  says,  "he 
was  a  thief,"  "cared  not  for  the  poor,"  &c.  Again, 
just  before  the  betrayal,  and  immediately  after  our 
Saviour  had  washed  his  disciples'  feet,  he  said,  "  Ye 
are  clean,  but  not  all,"  and  John  adds,  "  for  he  knew 
who  should  betray  him,  therefore  said  he,  Ye  are  not 
all  clean."  John  xiii.  10,  11. 

Here  then,  we  learn  that  Christ  continued  one  in 
the  sacred  office,  from  about  the  beginning  of  his 
(Christ's)  ministry,  till  the  close;  whom  he  knew  to 
be  "a  devil,"  "a  thief,"  and  an  unclean  person. 
Whether,  then  we  ask,  was  it  worse  to  call  such  a  man 
to  the  Apostleship,  or  to  continue  him  in  the  Apostle- 
ship  after  his  character  was  discovered? 

Again,  in  the  22d  Psalm,  the  53d  chapter  of  Isaiah, 
and  in  Daniel  ix.  26,  the  crucifixion  of  Christ  is  ex- 
pressly foretold.  David  also,  personating  Christ, 
says.  Psalm  xli.  9,  "Mine  own  familiar  friend,  in 
whom  I  trusted,  which  did  eat  of  my  bread,  hath  lifted 
up  his  heel  against  me."  See  also  Acts  i.  16.  Our 
Saviour,  referring  to  these  passages,  says,  Matt.  xxvi. 
23,  24,  "  He  that  dippeth  his  hand  with  me  in  the 
dish,  the  same  shall  betray  me.  The  Son  of  man 
goeth,  as  it  is  written  of  him :  but  wo  unto  that  man 


OF  THE  SAINTS.  339 

by  whom  the  Son  of  man  is  betrayed,"  &c.  Now,  as 
"  in  him  are  hid  all  the  treasures  of  wisdom  and 
knowledge,"  Col.  ii.  3,  so  that  he  "knoweth  all  things," 
John  xxi.  16,  he  must  have  known  that  Judas  would 
betray  him,  when  he  called  him  to  the  ministry.  Ac- 
cordingly we  are  told,  John  vi.  64,  not  only  that 
Judas  "believed  not,"  but  that  Christ  "  knew  it  from 
the  beginning."  Whatever  may  be  the  reasoning 
therefore  which  would  make  it  improbable  that  our 
Saviour  would  knowingly  call  an  "unbeliever,"  "a 
devil,"  "a  thi^ef,"  an  "unclean"  person,  and  a  traitor, 
to  be  an  Apostle,  the  facts  are  clear  that  he  did  call 
him.  And  though  we  might  offer  important  con- 
siderations why  he  called  him,  we  do  not  desire  to  be 
heard  about  a  matter  in  reference  to  which  the  Scrip- 
tures are  silent. 

But  there  is  still  another  text,  so  often  brought  up, 
in  reference  to  Judas,  that  it  may  be  well  to  notice  it 
also. 

"While  I  was  with  them  in  the  world,  I  kept  them 
in  thy  name;  those  that  thou  gavest  me  I  have  kept, 
and  none  of  them  is  lost,  but  the  son  of  perdition ;  that 
the  Scriptures  might  be  fulfilled."  John  xvii.  12. 
That  the  passage  does  not  imply  that  Judas  was  a 
Christian  is  evident,  1.  from  the  fact  that  he  is  called 
"the  son  of  perdition;"  2.  from  other  texts  in  which 
the  same  form  of  expression  occurs.  Thus,  in  Luke 
iv.  25,  we  are  told,  that  "many  widows  were  in  Israel 
in  the  days  of  Elias,  when  the  heavens  were  shut  up 
three  years  and  six  months,  when  great  famine  was 
throughout  all  the  land,  but  unto  none  of  them  was 
Elias  sent,  save  unto  Sarepta,  a  city  of  Sidon,  unto  a 
woman  that  was  a  widow."  That  "many  lepers  were 
in  Israel  in  the  time  of  Eliseus  the  prophet ;  and  none 
of  them  was  cleansed,  saving  Naaman  the  Syrian." 
And  that  "there  shall  in  no  wise  enter  into  it"  (the 
heavenly  Jerusalem)  "anything  that  defileth,  neither 
whatsoever  worketh  abomination,  or  maketh  a  lie ;  but 


340  PERSEVERANCE 

they  which  are  written  in  the  Lamb's  book  of  life." 
Rev.  xxi.  27. 

Now  in  each  of  these  texts,  the  latter  clause  is  not 
an  exception  to  what  is  asserted  in  the  former,  but 
asserts  a  different  fact.  The  following  is  plainly  the 
meaning,  viz.  "There  shall  in  no  wise  enter  into  it 
anything  that  defileth,  &c.,  but  they  which  are  written 
in  the  Lamb's  book  of  life,"  shall  enter  in.  "Many 
widows  were  in  Israel  in  the  days  of  Elias — but  unto 
none  of  them  was  he  sent,  but  he  was  sent  unto  Sa- 
repta  a  city  of  Sidon,  to  a  woman  that  was  a  widow." 
"Many  lepers  were  in  Israel,  &c.,  and  none  of  them 
was  cleansed,  but  Naaman  the  Syrian  was  cleansed." 
And  so  in  the  text  under  consideration.  "  Those  that 
thou  gavest  me,  I  have  kept,  and  none  of  them  is  lost; 
but  the  son  of  perdition"  is  lost. 

That  this  is  its  meaning  is  evident,  from  the  lan- 
guage of  our  Saviour  in  the  9th  verse  of  the  next 
chapter.  To  those  who  came  to  take  him,  he  said, 
"  If  ye  seek  me,  let  these  (my  disciples)  go  their  way, 
that  the  saying  might  be  fulfilled  which  he  spake, 
Of  them  which  thou  gavest  me,  have  I  lost  none." 
John  xviii.  9.  Although,  then,  Judas  Iscariot  did  fall 
from  the  Apostleship,  Acts  i.  25,  nothing  can  be  more 
evident  that  he  did  not  fall  from  grace.  But,  not- 
withstanding, he  is  called  "the  son  of  perdition,"  and 
"went  to  his  own  place,"  Acts  i.  15,  and  it  is  said 
that,  "  good  would  it  have  been  for  him  if  he  had 
never  been  born,"  Dr.  Clarke  enters  into  a  laboured 
argument  to  show  not  only,  that  he  did  not  hang  him- 
self, but  that  he  was  recovered  from  his  apostasy,  and 
is  probably  now  in  heaven.  Of  course,  then,  he  has 
been  there  more  than  eighteen  hundred  years  in  a 
state  of  most  awful  distress,  that  "he  ever  was  born." 
Should  any  of  my  readers  be  suffering  from  mental 
depression,  and  desire  to  have  his  risibles  roused,  let 
him  read  Dr.  Clarke's  comments  on  Acts  i.  18,  in 
which  he  undertakes  to  account  for  the  death  of  Judas. 


OP  THE   SAINTS.  341 

Not  only  does  the  writer  guaranty  a  most  hearty 
laugh,  but  also  that  he  will  be  ready  to  say,  Dr. 
Clarke,  "  thou  art  beside  thyself,  much  learning  hath 
made  thee  mad."    Acts  xxvi.  24, 

The  only  remaining  example  of  falling  from  grace 
that  is  adduced,  so  far  as  we  know,  is  that  of  the 
Apostle  Peter.  In  the  Compendium  of  Methodism, 
pp.  277,  278,  we  meet  the  following  : 

"It  is  said  Judas  never  was  a  Christian  ....  but 
Peter,  though  he  lied  outright,  cursed  and  swore,  pub- 
licly denying  his  master,  was  a  Christian,  even  in  the 
midst  of  his  crimes,  because  he  afterwards  repented." 
"  Thus  in  trying  to  sustain  this  dangerous  notion, 
Calvinists  implicate  the  honesty  of  him  in  whom  there 
was  no  guile;  and  holding  Peter  a  Christian, while  he 
displayed  such  incontestable  marks  of  a  sinner,  they 
leave  us  in  utter  confusion,  as  to  who  are  Christiana 
and  who  are  not." 

That  the  best  of  men  may,  under  sudden  and  pow- 
erful temptation,  strikingly  exhibit  human  weakness, 
cannot  be  denied.  It  is  not  usual,  however,  to  con- 
sider this  as  decided  evidence  of  their  being  destitute 
of  principle,  unless  they  deliberately  persist  in  the  sin. 
After  the  arrest  of  our  Saviour,  and  "  the  disciples 
all  forsook  him  and  fled,"  Matt.  xxvi.  56,  Peter, 
through  great  love  to  his  master,  seems  to  have  turned 
back,  "  followed  him  afar  ofi",  and  went  unto  the  high 
priest's  palace,  and  went  in,  and  sat  down  with  the 
servants  to  see  the  end."  Matt.  xxvi.  58.  Having 
seen  his  master  arrested,  "spit"  upon,  "  buflFeted" 
and  "smitten"  amid  an  enraged  multitude.  Matt, 
xxvi.  67,  the  great  and  sudden  fear  lest  he  should 
share  the  same  fate,  was  a  powerful  temptation  to  do 
as  he  did,  when  accused  with  being  in  league  with  the 
man  under  arrest.  Up  to  the  very  time  that  he 
uttered  the  unfortunate  language,  there  is  not  only  no 
evidence,  but  it  is  not  even  pretended  that  he  had 
fallen  from  grace.  Judging  from  the  narrative,  we 
29* 


342  PERSEVERANCE 

can  hardly  suppose  the  period,  from  the  time  of  the 
first  denial  till  "he  went  out  and  wept  bitterly,"  could 
have  been  more  than  an  hour.*  Surely,  then,  it  is 
to  lay  aside  all  "  charity,"  and  to  think  all  "  evil," 
to  conclude  that  the  heart  of  a  friend  was  changed 
from  love  to  enmity,  merely  from  the  fact  that  under 
the  powerful  temptation  of  fear  under  most  alarming 
circumstances,  that  friend  profanely  denied  the  man 
he  loved,  and  continued  in  the  denial  for  a  single  hour 
only.  How  Messrs.  Wesley,  Watson,  Fisk,  the  Gene- 
ral Conference,  &c.,  will  fare  under  such  a  rule,  it  is, 
perhaps,  not  for  us  to  determine.  Peter  fell  and 
recovered  in  an  hour,  but  they  are  not  recovered 
yet. 

2.  That  Peter  did  not  fall  from  grace,  is  evident 
from  the  language  of  our  Saviour.  Luke  xxii.  32. 
*'  Simon,  Simon,  Satan  hath  desired  to  have  you, 
that  he  might  sift  you  as  wheat,  but  I  have  prayed 
for  thee  that  thy  faith  fail  not."  "Satan  hath  desired," 
&c.,  "  but  I  have  prayed,"  &c.  Surely,  this  is 
enough.  Bishop  Morris,  of  Ohio,  says,  "If  Peter 
had  died  before  he  repented,  he  would  have  gone  to 
hell,"  and  we  might  say,  "if  the  skies  should  come 
down,  we  would,  &c.,  &c." 

All  that  has  been  said,  however,  is  met  by  the  testi- 
mony of  experience.  "  Many  have  been  known  to 
give  just  this  evidence,  all  that  any  one  could  reasona- 
bly ask  for  himself  or  his  brethren,  and  after  a  term 
of  years,  by  a  change  of  circumstances,  they  have 
been  led  astray,  one  step  after  another,  until  they  not 
only  lost  the  spirit,  but  the  form  of  religion,  and  became 
its  deadly  enemies,  and  died  relentless.  They  bore 
the  first  fruits  of  piety,  in  public  and  private — they 
enjoyed  the  assurance  in  themselves,  that  they  were 
born  again,  and  clearly  evinced  the  same  to  others; 
and  even  after  their  decline,  looking  back  upon  their 

*  Seo  Matt,  xxvi.  thi-ougliout,  but  especially  verses  69 — 75. 


OF  THE   SAINTS.  343 

experience,  they  believed  and  confessed  they  were 
converted.     Is  all  this  to  pass  for  nothing?* 

To  this,  we  reply,  that  according  to  our  Saviour, 
this  evidence  will  be  adduced  in  the  day  of  judgment. 
"  Many  will  say  to  me  in  that  day,  Lord,  Lord,  have 
we  not  prophesied  in  thy  name?"  (like  Balaam  and 
Saul,)  "  and  in  thy  name  cast  out  devils,  and  in  thy 
name  done  many  wonderful  works,"  (that  is,  wrought 
miracles,  like  Judas.)  But  how  will  their  plea  be 
met?  "  Then  will  I  profess  unto  them,  I  never  knew 
you  ;  depart  from  me,  ye  that  work  iniquity."  Matt, 
vii.  22,  23.  "  I  know  my  sheep,  and  am  known  of 
mine,"  John  x.  14 — but  "I  never  knew  you." 

Having  shown  that  the  final  perseverance  of  the 
saints  is  a  doctrine  of  the  Methodist  Church,  and  that 
falling  from  grace  is  an  unscriptural  doctrine  of  the 
same  Church,  we  come  to  notice  the  objections  urged 
by  that  denomination  against  the  former  of  these  doc- 
trines.    And 

1.  It  is  objected  that  this  "  doctrine  is  without 
warrant  from  the  word  of  God,"  ....  that  "no pas- 
sage (of  Scripture)  clearly  teaches  it;  none  necessarily 
infers  it;  no  principle  of  revelation  sanctions  it ;"  and 
that  "  if  it  could  be  true,  its  truth  never  can  be 
derived  from  the  Bible,  "f 

The  reader  will  not  be  at  all  surprised  at  the  asser- 
tion, that  a  doctrine  distinctly  taught  by  standard 
writers  in  the  Methodist  Episcopal  Church,  is  not 
taught  in  the  Bible.  That  is  one  of  their  incon- 
sistencies. 

To  the  assertion  that  this  doctrine  is  "  without  war- 
rant from  the  word  of  God,  no  passage  clearly  teaches 
it;  none  necessarily  infers  it,"  &c.,  another  should 
have  been  added,  "namely,  after  the  word  of  God 
shall  have  passed  through  the  Arminian  crucible." 

*  Compendium  of  Methodism,  pp.  276,  277. 
f  Objections  to  Calvinism,  p.  179. 


PERSEVERANCE 

With  this  brief  notice  of  this  first  objection,  we 
proceed  to  a  second,  viz.  "If  the  doctrine  be  true,  a 
man  after  conversion  is  no  longer  a  free  agent.  In 
this,  as  in  all  respects  with  the  fate  and  absurdity  of 
the  system,  he  is  brought  under  a  necessity  which  he 
has  no  power  to  avoid.  He  cannot  fall  away  from 
salvation,"  &c.* 

In  reply  to  this,  we  will  first  hear  Mr.  Wesley. 
"With  regard  to  final  perseverance,  I  am  inclined  to 
believe  there  is  a  state  attainable  in  this  life  from 
which  a  man  cannot  finally  fall."f 

Does  any  one  believe  Mr.  Wesley  intended  to  con- 
vey the  idea,  that  he  who  attains  a  state  from  which 
he  cannot  finally  fall,  has,  by  making  that  attainment, 
lost  his  free  agency  ?| 

2.  Let  us  hear  Mr.  Watson.  "  Imperfection  must 
in  comparison  of  God,  and  the  creature's  own  capacity 
of  improvement,  remain  the  character  of  a  finite  be- 
ing; but  it  is  not  so  clear  that  this  imperfection  must, 
at  all  times,  and  through  the  whole  course  of  exist- 
ence imply  liability  to  sin.  God  is  free,  and  yet  he 
cannot  be  tempted  of  evil."  "It  is  impossible  for  him 
to  lie,  not  for  want  of  natural  freedom,  but  because 
of  an  absolute  moral  perfection.  Liberty  and  impecca- 
bility imply  therefore  no  contradiction."§ 

3.  Let  us  hear  the  Apostle  Paul.  "For  if  when 
we  were  enemies  we  were  reconciled  to  God  by  the 
death  of  his  Son,  much  more  being  reconciled,  we 
shall  be  saved  by  his  life."  Rom.  v.  10. 

Now  if  there  is  no  interference  with  moral  liberty 
in  reconciling  enemies  to  God,  does  it  follow  that  the 
grace  which  keeps  them  in  a  state  of  reconciliation,  is 
so  much  greater  than  that  which  reconciled  them,  that 
"a  man  after  conversion  is  no  longer  a  free  agent?" 

*  Objections  to  Calvinism,  page  196. 

t  Works,  Vol.  III.  page  289. 

X  See  his  Sermon  on  "  Divine  Providence,"  Sec.  15. 

I  Theological  Institutes,  Part  II.  Chap.  vi. 


OF  THE  SAINTS.  345 

So  thought  not  Paul.  The  Arminian,  therefore,  must 
give  up  his  Wesley,  his  Watson,  the  Apostle  Paul,  &c., 
or  give  up  his  objection.  His  great  error  is,  in  sup- 
posing that  one  who  loves  God  supremely,  (as  every 
Christian  must,)  may  desire  to  fall  from  that  state  of 
love;  and  that  unless  he  is  permitted  to  do  so,  he  will 
be  deprived  of  his  liberty.  Whereas  such  an  aliena- 
tion of  heart,  implies  the  absence  of  all  love.  Although 
then,  such  a  man  may,  in  the  exercise  of  free  agency, 
fall  into  sin,  he  cannot  fall  from  grace. 

This  is  perhaps  the  most  artful  objection  ever 
brought  against  the  doctrine,  as  it  leads  directly  to 
an  inquiry  concerning  the  mode  of  the  divine  opera- 
tion on  the  human  heart — a  subject  on  which,  while 
in  this  world,  we  must  remain  profoundly  ignorant. 
But  where  reason  fails,  revelation  shines  with  peculiar 
brightness.  "Now  unto  him  that  is  able  to  keep  you 
from  falling,  and  to  present  you  faultless  before  the 
presence  of  his  glory  with  exceeding  joy,  to  the  only 
wise  God  our  Saviour,  be  glory  and  majesty  and  do- 
minion and  power."  Jude  24. 

Here  it  is  expressly  declared,  that  the  Lord  "is 
able  to  keep  his  people  from  falling,  and  to  present 
them  faultless  before  the  presence  of  his  glory."  To 
those  therefore  who  urge  the  above  objection,  we 
reply,  "ye  do  err,  not  knowing  the  Scriptures,  neither 
the  power  of  God."     See  also  Rom.  xiv.  4.     But 

3.  "  If  this  doctrine  is  true,  it  is  no  difference  what 
a  man  does  after  conversion;  he  cannot  peril  his 
soul — cannot  even  render  his  salvation  doubtful.  Thus 
it  inculcates  recklessness  and  licenses  crime."  Then, 
after  charging  upon  the  Calvinist  the  "  pre-irresistible 
regeneration"  of  the  Methodist  Church,  the  objector 
continues :  "  The  man  cannot  avoid  being  regene- 
rated, and  then  being  regenerated,  he  may  become 
during  life,  a  devil  in  sin,  but  he  cannot  miss  heaven. 
Now,  what  sheer  licentiousness  is  here  !  what  more  is 
requisite  to  induce  unlimited  and  incurable  reckless- 


Sid  PERSEVERANCE 

ness?  The  man  is  in  no  danger;  it  is  all  one,  let 
him  indulge  to  the  utmost  excess;  he  is  safe,  and  can- 
not he  less  so.  Is  this  Christianity?  Is  this  iniqui- 
tous teaching  to  be  palmed  upon  the  world  as  God's 
truth?"* 

By  a  saint,  we  understand  one  whose  heart  has 
been  changed  from  a  state  of  "enmity  against  God" 
(Rom.  viii.  7)  to  love.    So  that  he  who  was  an  enemy, 
has  been  "reconciled  to  God  by  the  death  of  his  Son," 
(Rom.  V.  10,)  and  loves  God  supremely.     By  the  per- 
severance of  a  saint,  we  understand,  a  continuance  in 
that  state  of  reconciliation.     And  yet  we   are  told 
that  if  this  "is  true,  it  is  no  difference  what  a  man 
does  after  conversion."     He  who  is  possessed  of  such 
a  principle  as  the  objector  supposes,  has  never  been 
"born   again."     Some    children    obey   their  parents 
through  fear,   others  through  love.     The  latter  are 
afraid  to  offend  them,  because  they  love  them.     The 
former  is  a  slave,  the  latter  is  a  child.     He  then  who 
does  not  endeavour  to  lead  a  life  of  holiness  is  not  a 
child  of  God.     "As  many  as  are  led  by  the  Spirit  of 
God,  are  the  sons  of  God."     As  to  the  charge,  that 
the  idea  of  continuing  in  a  state  of  reconciliation 
with,  and  love  to  God  "inculcates  recklessness,  and 
licenses  crime,"  it  is  necessary  to  state  the  charge 
only,  to  show  its  absurdity.     Are  those  who  embrace 
it  persons  of  less  truth,  less  honesty,  less  moral  virtue 
than  those  who  deny  it?     In  the  discharge  of  their 
duties  to  God  and  man  are  they  notoriously  deficient? 
In  their  attention  to  personal  piety  and  family  reli- 
gion, are   they  inferior  to  others?     Have   they  less 
reverence  for  the  Bible,  less  regard  for  the  institutions 
of    God?     In    those    churches    and    neighbourhoods 
where  this  doctrine  is  most  generally  believed,  is  it  a 
fact  that  less  is  done  to  give  the  Bible  to  every  indi- 
vidual, and  family,  and  nation  under  heaven  ?     The 

*  Objections  to  Calvinism,  page  197. 


OF  THE   SAINTS.  347 

reverse  of  all  this  is  true.  We  will  pass  on  therefore 
to  another  objection,  viz.  "If  the  doctrine  of  the 
final  perseverance  be  true,  then  sin  is  not  so  abhor- 
rent in  a  Christian  as  it  is  in  a  sinner,  and  is  not  at- 
tended with  the  same  consequences.  The  sins  into 
which  a  believer  may  fall,  are  accounted  sufficient  to 
damn  a  sinner,  but  are  not  sufficient  to  make  a  whit 
uncertain  the  salvation  of  the  believer,  if  committed 
by  him."* 

We  have  already  shown  that  a  man  may  be  a 
Christian  without  being  absolutely  free  from  sin — 
that  if  this  be  not  so,  there  is  no  salvation  for  Messrs. 
Wesley,  Watson,  Fisk,  the  General  Conference,  &c. 
While  then  an  impenitent  sinner  in  sinning  adds  to 
his  sins,  a  penitent  believer  is  sure  to  repent  of  his 
sins.  "  Though  he  fall,  he  shall  not  be  utterly  cast 
down."  It  is  true,  therefore,  that  "sin  in  a  Christian 
is  not  attended  with  the  same  consequences,  as  it  is 
in  a  sinner,"  &c. 

A  fifth  objection  is,  that  if  the  doctrine  be  true, 
then,  "  all  the  exhortations,  cautions,  and  warnings 
recorded  in  the  Scriptures,  are  false  colours  and  decep- 
tive motives.  They  are  like  the  attempts  of  some 
weak  parents,  who  undertake  to  frighten  their  children 
into  obedience  by  superstitious  tales  and  groundless 
fears.  God  knows  when  he  is  giving  out  these  inti- 
mations of  danger  that  there  is  no  danger,"  kef 

It  is  admitted  on  all  hands,  that  exhortations, 
cautions  and  warnings  are  addressed  to  believers. 
*'  Watch  and  pray  that  ye  enter  not  into  temptation." 
"What  I  say  unto  you,  I  say  unto  all,  watch." 
"  Work  out  your  own  salvation  with  fear  and  trem- 
bling." "If  any  man  draw  back,  my  soul  shall  have 
no  pleasure  in  him,"  &c.  Now,  Calvinists  contend 
that  such  exhortations,  cautions,  warnings,  &c.,  so 
far  from  being  inconsistent  with  the  certainty  of  a 

*  Objections  to  Calyinism,  page  197. 
■}•  Calvinistic  Controversy,  page  34. 


348  PERSEVERANCE 

believer's  salvation,  are  a  necessary  part  of  that  sys- 
tem of  means  by  which  the  people  of  God  are  "  kept 
through  faith  unto  salvation."  Thus  "  when  Christ 
was  born  in  Bethlehem  in  the  days  of  Herod,  it  was 
absolutely  certain  that  he  should  not  be  slain  for  more 
than  thirty-three  years ;  for  Daniel,  above  five  hun- 
dred years  before,  had  pointed  to  the  precise  time, 
when  Messiah  should  be  cut  off.  It  was  absolutely 
certain  he  should  live  to  perform  the  miracles  which 
he  did,  on  the  sick,  the  blind,  and  the  lame  ;  and  that 
at  his  death  he  should  be  numbered  with  the  trans- 
gressors, and  then  be  buried  with  the  rich  man  of 
Arimathea ;  for  Isaiah  had  predicted  these  things 
seven  hundred  years  before.  It  was  absolutely  certain 
that  at  his  crucifixion  they  should  give  him  vinegar 
to  drink,  mingled  with  gall,  and  that  the  soldiers 
should  part  his  garments  among  them,  and  cast  lots 
upon  his  vesture,  for  the  Holy  Ghost,  by  the  mouth 
of  David,  had  spoken  of  this  above  a  thousand  years 
before.  Yet  when  Christ  was  born,  and  Herod  was 
troubled,  and  sought  to  slay  him,  an  angel  of  the 
Lord  came  to  Joseph,  saying,  "Arise,  and  take  the 
young  child  and  his  mother,  and  flee  into  Egypt,  for 
Herod  will  seek  the  young  child  to  destroy  him." 
Matt.  ii.  13.  Had  Joseph  been  of  the  opinion  that 
when  an  event  is  rendered  certain  by  the  purpose  of 
God,  the  means  necessary  to  bring  it  about  may  be 
dispensed  with,  he  would  most  likely  have  replied, 
"Thou  angel  of  the  Lord!  I  do  not  see  the  necessity 
of  going  into  Egypt.  If  what  David  and  Isaiah  and 
Daniel  have  said,  be  true,  Messiah  will  not  be  cut  off 
by  Herod.  He  has  yet  to  live  many  years,  and  per- 
form many  marvellous  works,  and  then  die  in  a  manner 
quite  different  from  what  Herod  designs.  This  jour- 
ney is  therefore  altogether  useless.  Your  warning  "  is 
like  the  attempt  of  some  weak  parent  who  undertakes 
to  frighten  his  child  into  obedience  by  superstitious 
tales  and  groundless  fears.     You  know,  when  giving 


OF   THE   SAINTS.  349 

out  these  intimations  of  danger,  that  there  is  no 
danger."  Joseph's  creed  was  more  orthodox.  He 
considered  the  purposes  and  promises  of  God  as  per- 
fectly consistent  with  his  commands,  and  the  duties 
he  requires  of  us.  "He  arose  and  took  the  young 
child  and  his  mother,  and  went  into  Egypt."  Herod 
spent  his  rage.  Christ  was  not  slain.  He  lived  till 
the  time  Daniel  had  mentioned — performed  the  works 
the  prophets  had  foretold,  and  was  put  to  death  as 
had  been  predicted. 

Now  in  this  case,  the  event  was  certain,  and  yet 
the  warning  given  was  neither  absurd  nor  useless. 
It  had  its  intended  effect,  and  in  due  time  all  was 
fulfilled. 

In  like  manner,  the  exhortations,  cautions  and 
warnings  addressed  to  believers,  are  not  designed  to 
shake  their  confidence  in  the  "  exceeding  great  and 
precious  promises  of  God,  or  to  persuade  them  that  it 
is  not  safe  to  put  entire  trust  in  his  word,  but  to  teach 
them  the  way  in  which  they  should  walk,  and  keep 
them  from  the  evil  that  is  in  the  world,  and  fit  them 
for  the  heavenly  kingdom."*     But 

6.  "  Has  a  man  already  tasted  of  the  good- word  of 
God,  and  the  powers  of  the  world  to  come  ?  Being 
justified  by  faith,  hath  he  peace  with  God  ?  Then 
sin  hath  no  more  dominion  over  him.  But  by  and  by, 
considering  he  may  fall  foully  indeed,  but  cannot  fall 
finally,  he  is  not  so  jealous  over  himself  as  he  was  at 
first.  He  grows  a  little  and  little  slacker,  till  ere  long 
he  falls  again  into  the  sin  from  which  he  was  clean 
escaped.  As  soon  as  you  perceive  he  is  entangled 
again  and  overcome,  you  apply  the  Scriptures  relating 
to  that  state.  You  conjure  him  not  to  harden  his 
heart  any  more,  lest  his  last  state  be  worse  than  the 

*  The  above  reply,  with  some  additions  and  omissions,  is  taken 
from  a  sermon  on  the  "  Saints'  Perseverance,"  by  the  Rev.  James 
Gallaher. 

30 


350  PERSEVERANCE 

first.  *  How  can  that  be  ?'  says  he  :  'Once  in  grace, 
always  in  grace ;  and  I  am  sure  I  was  in  grace  once. 
You  shall  never  tear  away  my  shield.'  So  he  sins 
on,  and  sleeps  on,  till  he  awakes  in  hell."* 

Here  it  is  contended  that  it  is  a  natural  tendency 
of  the  doctrine  to  beget  carelessness  and  slothfulness 
in  the  divine  life.  That  there  is  spiritual  sloth  to  a 
greater  or  less  extent,  in  every  branch  of  the  Church, 
cannot  be  denied.  But  the  question  is,  does  the  doc- 
trine that  a  saint  will  persevere  in  a  state  of  grace 
unto  the  end,  or  the  doctrine  that  he  may  fall  from 
grace,  tend  most  to  produce  it?  What  is  it,  we  ask, 
that  more  than  anything  else  stimulates  men  to  watch- 
fulness and  effort  in  every  undertaking?  Is  it  a 
prospect  of  success,  or  a  probability  of  failure  ?  What 
is  the  effect  of  each  on  the  farmer,  the  merchant,  the 
politician,  the  soldier?  In  short,  what  is  the  effect 
on  men  of  every  calling.  Are  they  not  stimulated  to 
effort  in  proportion  as  the  prospect  brightens,  and 
chilled  in  their  zeal  in  proportion  as  the  prospect 
darkens?  A  report  spread  among  the  troops  of 
Alexander  the  Great,  when  they  were  about  to  en- 
gage in  battle  with  a  foe  vastly  their  superior  in 
number,  that  an  eagle  had  just  been  seen  to  perch  on 
Alexander's  head,  was  followed  by  an  onset  of  almost 
unparalleled  impetuosity.  But  why  was  this?  It 
was  because  it  was  considered  tantamount  to  a  decla- 
ration from  heaven  that  they  would  be  victorious. 
Now  why  the  prospect  of  certainly  reaching  heaven 
should  discourage  us  from  setting  out  on  the  journey, 
or  dampen  our  ardour  in  pursuing  that  journey,  is  to 
us  one  of  the  greatest  of  all  mysteries. 

But  continues  Mr^  Wesley,  (and  what  he  says  is 
endorsed  by  the  General  Conference,)  "  The  observing 
these  melancholy  examples  day  by  day,  this  dreadful 
havoc  which  the  devil  makes  of  souls,  especially  of 
those  who  have  begun  to  run  well,  by  means  of  this 

*  Doctrinal  Tracts,  p.  92. 


OF  THE   SAINTS.  351 

unscrlptural  doctrine,  constrains  me  to  oppose  it  from 
the  same  principle  whereon  I  labour  to  save  souls 
from  destruction."* 

As  no  facts  are  given  which  go  to  sustain  this 
general  statement,  and  we  are  not  aware  of  facts  that 
will  sustain  it,  let  us  see  what  has  been  the  bearing 
of  the  doctrine  that  a  saint  may  fall  from  grace,  on 
the  same  point. 

Mr.  Wesley,  in  his  sermon  on  "  The  Wisdom  of 
God's  Counsels,"  speaks  of  "thousands  that  once  ran 
well,"  who  "one  after  another  drew  back  to  perdi- 
tion." "Early  in  his  career,  he  took  the  trouble  of 
inquiring  into  the  motives  of  seventy-six  persons  who 
in  the  course  of  three  months  had  withdrawn  from 
one  of  his  societies.  The  result  was  curious.  Four- 
teen said  they  left  it  because  their  ministers  would 
not  otherwise  give  them  the  sacrament.  These  were 
chiefly  dissenters.  Nine  because  their  husbands  or 
wives  were  unwilling  they  should  stay  in.  Twelve 
because  their  parents  were  unwilling.  Five  because 
their  masters  and  mistresses  would  not  let  them 
come.  Seven  because  their  acquaintances  persuaded 
them  to  leave  it.  Five  because  people  said  such  bad 
things  of  the  society.  Nine  because  they  would  not 
be  laughed  at.  Three  because  they  would  not  lose 
the  poor  allowance.  Three  because  they  could  not 
spare  the  time  to  come.  Two  because  it  was  too  far 
off.  One  because  she  was  afraid  of  falling  into  fits. 
One  because  people  were  so  rude  in  the  street.  Two 
because  Thomas  Naisbit  was  in  the  society.  One  be- 
cause he  would  not  turn  his  back  on  his  baptism.  One 
because  the  Methodists  were  Church  of  England  men. 
And  one  because  it  was  time  enough  to  serve  God 
yet."t 

"  The  character  of  the  converts  is  exhibited  by  the 

*  Doctrinal  Tracts,  pp.  92,  08. 

f  Souther's  Life  of  Wesley,  Vol.  II.  page  34. 


PERSEVERANCE 

account  he  gives  of  those  who  during  the  same  time 
■were  expelled  from  the  same  society.  They  were  two 
for  cursing  and  swearing — two  for  habitual  Sabbath- 
breaking — seventeen  for  drunkenness — four  for  retail- 
ing spirituous  liquors  —  three  for  quarrelling  and 
brawling — one  for  beating  his  wife — three  for  habitual 
lying — four  for  railing  and  evil  speaking — one  for 
idleness  and  laziness — twenty-nine  tor  lightness  and 
carelessness."* 

If  then,  one  hundred  and  forty-one  members  of  one 
society  fell  from  grace  in*  three  months,  how  many 
fell  from  all  the  societies  under  Mr.  Wesley's  care  in 
twelve  months,  is  not  for  us  to  know. 

Again:  Mr.  Wesley,  speaking  of  a  great  excite- 
ment in  the  school  at  Kingwood,  during  a  religious 
service  of  five  days,  tells  us  that  "the  subjects  of  it 
were  strong  in  the  spirit,  full  of  love,  and  joy,  and 
peace  in  believing."  Most  of  these  were  admitted  to 
the  Lord's  supper  for  the  first  time  the  next  day.  Mr. 
Wesley  inserted  the  whole  account  of  it  in  his  jour- 
nal. In  a  letter  written  at  the  same  time,  he  says, 
"  God  sent  down  a  shower  of  grace  upon  the  chil- 
dren," &c.  Twelve  months  afterwards  he  makes  the 
following  entry — "  I  spent  an  hour  among  our  chil- 
dren at  Kingwood.  It  is  strange!  How  long  shall 
we  be  constrained  to  weave  Penelope's  web?  What 
is  become  of  the  wonderful  work  of  grace  which  God 
wrought  in  them  last  September?  It  is  gone!  It  is 
gone !  It  is  vanished  away !  There  is  scarce  any 
trace  of  it  remaining. "t 

And  yet  Arminians  would  have  us  believe  that  the 
doctrine  of  the  saint's  perseverance  powerfully  tends 
to  promote  sluggishness  in  the  divine  life,  while  the 
doctrine  that  a  saint  may  fall  from  grace  is  a  power- 
ful incentive  to  diligence. 

Let  the  reader  compare  the  facts  just  given  with 

*  Life  of  Wesley,  Vol.  II.  page  34.  f  Ibid,  page  230. 


'of  the  saints.  353 

what  he  himself  has  witnessed  in  the  Methodist 
Church,  and  he  will  conclude  they  are  not  done  fall- 
ing yet.  "Between  the  years  1844  and  1847  they 
sustained  a  met  decrease  of  more  than  fifty  thousand 
members."*  Should  not  "  the  observing  these  melan- 
choly examples  day  by  day,  this  dreadful  havoc  which 
the  devil  makes  of  souls  by  means  of  this  unscriptural 
doctrine,  constrain"  Arminians  "to  oppose  it  on  the 
same  principle  whereon"  they  "labour  to  save  souls 
from  destruction?" 

We  will  close  this  chapter  with  two  quotations. 
The  first  is  from  the  Doctrinal  Tracts,  page  342. 

"  Question.  May  not  some  of  those  (who  have  the 
testimony,  both  of  their  justification  and  sanctifica- 
tion,)  have  a  testimony  from  the  Spirit  that  they  shall 
not  finally  fall  from  God  ? 

^^  Answer.  They  may,  and  this  persuasion,  that 
neither  life  nor  death  shall  separate  them  from  Him, 
far  from  being  hurtful,  may,  in  some  circumstances 
be  extremely  useful.  These,  therefore,  we  should  in 
no  wise  grieve,  but  earnestly  encourage  them  to 
hold  the  beginning  of  their  confidence  steadfast  unto 
the  end." 

Those  who  move  in  a  circle,  no  matter  what  course 
they  steer,  by  continuing  their  journey,  are  sure  to 
get  back  to  the  starting  point.  Arminians  accord- 
ingly, after  laying  down  the  doctrine  of  the  final  perse- 
verance of  the  saints,  as  undoubtedly  true,  set  out  in 
a  circle  of  objections,  and  difficulties.  By  continuing 
however,  they  at  length  cast  anchor,  in  the  port  from 
which  they  started,  viz.  that  "/ar  from  being  hurtful, 
(it)  may  be  extremely  useful,"  and  unite  in  the  fol- 
lowing stanzas : 

"  We  have  laid  up  our  love,  and  our  treasure  above. 
Though  our  bodies  continue  below  : 
The  redeemed  of  the  Lord,  we  remember  his  word, 
And  with  singing  to  Paradise  go. 

*  Compendium  of  Methodism,  page  174. 

30* 


354  IMPUTED   RIGHTEOUSNESS. 

With  singing  we  praise  the  original  grace. 
By  our  heavenly  Father  bestowed, 

Our  being  receive,  from  His  bounty  and  love. 
To  the  honour  and  glory  of  God. 

For  thy  glory  we  are  created  to  share, 
Both  the  nature  and  kingdom  divine  : 

Created  again,  that  our  souls  may  remain. 
In  time  and  eternity  thine. 

With  thanks  we  approve,  the  design  of  thy  love. 
Which  hath  joined  us  in  Jesus' s  name  : 

So  united  in  heart,  that  we  never  can  part. 
Till  we  meet  at  the  feast  of  the  Lamb."* 


CHAPTER     XVII. 

IMPUTED     RIGHTEOUSNESS. 

In  this  chapter  we  take  up  that  fundamental  doc- 
trine of  Christianity,  *' Justification  by  faith  in  the 
imputed  righteousness  of  Christ."  This  was  the 
great  weapon  of  the  Reformation.  This  Luther 
said,  "  is  the  article  of  a  standing  or  a  falling  church." 
"  0  ye  fools,"  exclaims  Mr.  Wesley,  "when  will  ye 
understand  that  the  preaching  of  justification  by  faith 
alone,  the  allowing  of  no  meritorious  cause  of  justifi- 
cation, but  the  death  and  righteousness  of  Christ,  and 
no  conditional  or  instrumental  cause  but  faith,  is 
overturning  Popery  from  the  foundation  ?"f 

That  the  reader  may  see  how  fully  and  unequivo- 
cally this  Calvinistic  doctrine  is  taught  in  the  Metho- 
dist Church,  I  will  first  quote  it  as  it  is  taught  in  the 
Presbyterian  Church.  In  their  Shorter  Catechism,  in 
answer  to  the  question,  "What  is  justification  ?"  we 
have  the  following  answer,  viz.  "  Justification  is  an 
act  of  God's  free  grace,  wherein  he  pardoneth  all  our 

*  Hymn  412,  Methodist  Hymn  Book. 

t   auuthey's  Life  of  Wesley,  Vol.  i.  p.  Ml. 


IMPUTED   RIGHTEOUSNESS.  85S 

sins,  and  accepteth  us  as  righteous  in  his  sight, 
only  for  the  righteousness  of  Christ  imputed  to  us 
and  received  hy  faith  alone."  Now  for  the  Metho- 
dists. 

The  Rev.  James  Arminius,  says,  "  I  believe  in  my 
heart,  and  confess  with  my  mouth,  that  I  shall  pass 
as  a  righteous  man  before  God,  only  by  faith  in  Jesus 
Christ:  so  that,  though  my  conscience  may  accuse 
me,  not  only  of  having  grievously  sinned  against  all 
the  commands  of  God,  but  also,  of  not  having  observed 
one  of  them,  and  of  being  likewise  inclined  to  all 
evil ;  yet  provided  I  embrace  these  benefits  with  real 
confidence  of  heart,  the  perfect  satisfaction,  righteous- 
ness and  holiness  of  Christ,  will  be  imputed  to  me 
and  bestowed  upon  me,  without  any  merit  of  my  own, 
and  purely  from  the  mercy  of  God:  exactly  as  though 
I  had  never  committed  any  sin,  and  as  if  no  stain  or 
taint  had  adhered  to  me.  Nay,  more  than  this,  as 
though  I  had  perfectly  performed  that  obedience 
which  Christ  has  performed  for  me  :  not  because  I 
can  please  God  by  the  dignity  of  my  faith,  but 
because  the  sole  satisfaction,  righteousness,  and  holi- 
ness of  Christ,  are  made  my  righteousness  before 
God.  But  I  am  not  able  to  embrace  this  righteous- 
ness, and  to  apply  it  to  myself,  in  any  other  manner, 
than  by  faith."* 

Again  he  says,  "  I  am  not  conscious  to  myself,  of 
having  taught,  or  entertained  any  other  sentiments 
concerning  the  justification  of  man  before  God,  than 
those  which  are  held  unanimously  by  the  Reformed 
and  Protestant  Churches,  and  which  are  in  complete 
accordance  with  their  expressed  opinions. 

"  I  believe  that  sinners  are  accounted  righteous 
solely  by  the  obedience  of  Christ ;  and  that  the 
righteousness  of  Christ  is  the  only  meritorious  cause, 
on  account  of  which  God  pardons  the  sins  of  believers, 

*  Life  of  Arminius,  pp.  152,  153. 


856  IMPUTED   RIGHTEOUSNESS. 

and  reckons  them  as  righteous,  as  if  they  had  per- 
fectly fulfilled  the  law."* 

Mr.  Wesley,  in  his  sermon  on  Jeremiah  xxiii.  6, 
says,  "  It  was  the  least  part  of  Christ's  external 
righteousness,  that  he  did  nothing  amiss ;  that  he 
knew  no  outward  sin  of  any  kind,  neither  was  guile 
found  in  his  mouth ;  that  he  never  spoke  one  improper 
word,  nor  did  one  improper  action.  Thus  far  it  is 
only  a  negative  righteousness,  though  such  an  one  as 
never  did,  nor  ever  can  belong  to  any  one  that  is 
born  of  a  woman,  save  himself  alone.  But  even  his 
outward  righteousness  is  positive  too.  '  He  did  all 
things  well.'  In  every  word  of  his  tongue,  in  every 
work  of  his  hands  he  did  precisely  the  '  will  of  him 
that  sent  him.'  In  the  whole  course  of  his  life,  he 
did  the  will  of  God  on  earth,  as  the  angels  do  it  in 
heaven.  All  he  acted  and  spoke  was  exactly  right  in 
every  circumstance.  The  whole  and  every  part  of 
his  obedience  was  complete.  He  fulfilled  all  right- 
eousness." 

"  But  when  is  it  that  any  of  us  may  truly  say, 
*  The  Lord  our  righteousness  ?'  In  other  words, 
when  is  it  that  the  righteousness  of  Christ  is  imputed 
to  us,  and  in  what  sense  is  it  imputed  ? 

"  1.  Look  through  all  the  world,  and  all  the  men 
therein  are  either  believers  or  unbelievers.  The  first 
thing  then  which  admits  of  no  dispute  among  reasona- 
ble men,  is  this.  To  all  believers  the  righteousness 
of  Christ  is  imputed ;  to  unbelievers  it  is  not. 

"  But  when  is  it  imputed  ?  When  they  believe.  In 
that  very  hour  the  righteousness  of  Christ  is  theirs. 
It  is  imputed  to  every  one  that  believes  as  soon  as  he 
believes.  Faith  and  the  righteousness  of  Christ  are 
inseparable.  For  if  he  believes  according  to  the 
Scriptures,  he  believes  in  the  righteousness  of  Christ. 
There  is    no    true    faith,    that   is,  justifying  faith, 

*  Life  of  Armmias,  pp.  236,  337. 


IMPUTED   RIGHTEOUSNESS.  857 

vrhicli  hath  not  the  righteousness  of  Christ  for  its 
object. 

"  5.  But  in  what  sense  is  it  that  his  righteousness 
is  imputed  to  believers  ?  In  this,  all  believers  are 
forgiven,  and  accepted,  not  for  the  sake  of  anything 
in  them,  or  of  anything,  that  ever  was,  that  ever  is, 
or  that  can  be  done  by  them,  but  wholly  and  solely 

for  what  Christ  hath  done  Und  suflfered  for  them 

We  are  justified  freely  by  his  grace,  through  the 
redemption  that  is  in  Christ  Jesus.  And  this  is  not 
only  the  means  of  our  obtaining  the  favour  of  God,  but 
of  our  continuing  therein.  .  .  .  And  this  is  the  doc- 
trine I  have  constantly  believed  and  taught  for  near 
eight  and  twenty  years.  This  I  published  to  all  the 
world  in  1738,  and  ten  or  twelve  years  since."  "The 
hymns  published  a  year  or  t\^o  after  this,  and  since 
republished  several  times,  speak  full  to  the  same  pur- 
pose." "In  the  Sermon  on  Justification,  published 
nineteen,  and  again  seven  or  eight  years  ago,  I  ex- 
pressed the  same  thing. 

"  But  is  not  a  believer  invested  or  clothed  with  the 
righteousness  of  Christ  ?  Undoubtedly  he  is.  And 
accordingly  the  words  above  recited,  are  the  language 
of  every  believer's  heart : 

"Jesus,  thy  blood  and  righteousness, 
My  beauty  are,  my  glorious  dress." 

"  That  is,  for  the  sake  of  thy  active  and  passive 
righteousness,  I  am  forgiven  and  accepted  of  God." 
"The  righteousness  of  Christ  is  the  whole  and  sole 
foundation  of  all  our  hope."  "I  therefore  no  more 
deny  it,  than  I  deny  the  Godhead  of  Christ.  A  man 
may  full  as  justly  charge  me  with  denying  the  one  as 
the  other.  Neither  do  I  deny  imputed  righteousness; 
this  is  another  unkind  and  unjust  accusation.  I  al- 
ways did,  and  do  still,  continually  afiirm,  that  the 
righteousness  of  Christ  is  imputed  to  every  believer. 
But  who  deny  it?     Why  all  infidels,  whether  baptized 


358  IMPUTED   RIGHTEOUSNESS. 

or  unbaptized :  all  who  affirm  the  glorious  gospel  of 
our  Lord  Jesus  Christ  to  be  a  cunningly  devised  fable. 
All  Socinians  and  Arians;  all  who  deny  the  supreme 
Godhead  of  the  Lord  that  bought  them.  They  of  con- 
sequence deny  his  divine  righteousness,  as  they  sup- 
pose him  to  be  a  mere  creature.  And  they  deny  his 
human  righteousness  as  imputed  to  any  man,  seeing 
they  believe  every  one  is  Siccepted  for  his  own  right- 
eousness. The  human  righteousness  of  Christ,  at 
least  the  imputation  of  it,  as  the  whole  and  sole  meri- 
torious cause  of  the  justification  of  a  sinner  before 
God,  is  likewise  denied  by  the  members  of  the  Church 
of  Rome,"  &c.  "But  blessed  be  God,  we  are  not 
among  those  who  are  so  dark  in  their  conceptions  and 
expressions.  We  no  more  deny  the  phrase  than  the 
thing." 

It  is  not  possible  for  language  to  announce  more 
unequivocally  and  clearly  the  Calvinistic  doctrine  of 
imputed  righteousness.  It  is  true,  the  Rev.  R.  Wat- 
son says :  "  This  sermon,  (from  which  the  above  is 
quoted,)  "is  one  of  peace;  one  in  which  he  shows  how 
near  he  was  willing  to  approach  those  who  held  the 
doctrine  of  Calvin  on  this  subject."* 

Again,  he  says:  "Mr.  Wesley's  sermon  on  Imputed 
Righteousness,  is  an  instance  of  his  anxiety  to  ap- 
proach his  Calvinistic  brethren  in  his  modes  of  ex- 
pression, as  far  as  possible,"  &c.t 

From  this  it  is  evident,  Mr.  Watson  would  have  us 
believe  Mr.  Wesley  had,  in  this  instance,  stretched 
his  belief.  But  although  there  is  abundant  evidence 
in  the  quotations  themselves,  that  Mr.  Watson  is  mis- 
taken, Mr.  Wesley  settles  the  question  himself.  Thus 
when  "he  stated  his  doctrinal  views  in  perhaps  as 
clear  a  manner,  though  in  a  summary  form  as  at  any 
period  subsequently,"  he  said:  "I  belifeve  neither  pur 

*  Theological  Institutes,  Part  II.  Chap,  xxiii. 
f  Watsou's  Life  of  Wesley,  page  211. 


IMPUTED   RIGHTEOUSNESS.  859 

own  holiness  or  goods  works  are  any  part  of  the  cause 
of  our  justification;  but  that  the  death  and  righteous- 
ness of  Christ  are  the  whole  and  sole  cause  of  it ;  or 
that  for  the  sake  of  which,  on  account  of  which,  we 
are  justified  before  God."* 

The  Rev.  R.  Watson  shall  be  our  third  witness. 
"The  righteousness  of  Christ,"  says  he,  "denotes  not 
only  his  absolute  perfection,  but  is  taken  for  his  per- 
fect obedience  unto  death,  and  his  sufiering  the  pe- 
nalty of  the  law  in  our  stead. "f  "  The  imputation  of 
Christ's  righteousness  is  held  by  such  (viz.  higher) 
Calvinists  in  a  proper  sense. "| 

Again,  after  stating  what  he  considers  Calvin's  idea 
of  the  subject,  he  says:  "All  this  we  grant  is  capable 
of  being  interpreted  to  a  good  and  scriptural  sense," 
&c.§ 

Although  we  might  greatly  multiply  our  authori- 
ties, the  fourth  and  last  shall  be  the  collection  of 
Hymns  in  use  in  the  Methodist  Episcopal  Church  at 
the  time  of  the  division. 

Thus  in  hymn  26,  the  penitent,  in  an  address  to 
the  Saviour,  is  made  to  say: 

"Thou  wilt  not  break  a  braised  reed, 

Or  quench  the  smallest  spark  of  grace; 
Till  through  the  soul,  thy  power  is  spread, 
Thy  all  victorious  righteousness." 

Again,  in  hymn  33: 

"Where  is  the  blessedness  bestowed, 

On  all  that  hunger  after  thee? 
I  hunger  now,  I  tliirst  for  God ; 

See  the  poor  fainting  sinner,  see; 
And  satisfy  with  endless  peace ; 
And  fill  me  with  thy  righteousness." 


*  Watson's  Life  of  Wesley,  pp.  76,  77. 

t  Theological  Dictionary.     Term,  "Righteousness." 

X  Theological  Institutes,  Part  II.  Chap,  xxiii.  ^  Ibid. 


360  IMPUTED   RIGHTEOUSNESS. 

See  also  in  hymn  41 : 

"Never  shall  I  want  it  less, 

When  thoii  the  gift  hast  given ; 
Filled  me  with  thy  righteousness 
And  sealed  me  heir  of  heaven." 

Also,  in  hymn  468  : 

"Jesus,  the  name  high  over  all 

In  hell,  or  eartli,  or  sky. 

Angels  and  men  before  it  fall, 

And  devils  fear  and  fly. 

"His  only  righteousness  I  show, 
His  loving  truth  proclaim; 
'Tis  all  my  business  here  below 
To  cry  'behold  the  Lamb  !'  " 

Again,  in  hymn  63: 

"Cast  out  thy  foes,  and  let  them  still, 
To  Jesus'  name  submit, 
Clothe  with  thy  righteousness,  and  heal 
And  place  me  at  thy  feet." 

The  connection  of  all  these  quotations  shows,  that 

whenever  the  word  "righteousness"  is  used,  it  means 

the  righteousness  of  Christ.     More  might  be  added, 

but  this  is  enough  to  show  the  doctrine  of  the  Metho- 

■  dist  Episcopal  Church. 

We  will  next  show  that  this  teaching  is  in  exact 
accordance  with  the  Scripture. 

Thus  the  Lord,  foretelling  the  coming  of  the  Mes- 
siah, said,  "  Seventy  weeks  are  established  .  .  to  fin- 
ish the  transgression,  and  make  an  end  of  sin,  and 
bring  in  everlasting  righteousness,"  Dan.  ix.  24.  The 
prophet  Jeremiah,  speaking  of  the  same  subject  says, 
'*'  And  this  is  the  name  by  which  he  shall  be  called, 
the  Lord  our  righteousness."  If  then,  the  coming  of 
Christ  was  "  the  bringing  in  of  everlasting  righteous- 
ness," and  he  is  the  righteousness  of  his  people,  his 
righteousness  must  be  imputed  to  them.  That  it  is 
so,  is  evident  from  other  passages.      Isaiah  referring 


IMPUTED   RIGHTEOUSNESS. 

to  Christ  says,  "  In  the  Lord  have  I  righteousness," 
Isa.  xxiv.  25.  But  what  righteousness  ?  Not  his 
own,  for  "we  are  all  as  an  unclean  thing,  and  all 
our  righteousnesses  are  as  filthy  rags,"  Isa.  xiv.  6. 
Evidently  then,  as  helievers  are  spiritually  the 
"members  of  Christ's  body,"  Eph.  v.  30,  they  obtain 
a  righteousness  by  having  his  righteousness  set  down 
to  them.  As  an  arm  of  Washington,  though  diseased 
and  broken,  would  be  honoured,  on  account  of  that 
body  of  which  it  was  a  member;  so  will  our  heavenly 
Father  treat  the  members  of  the  body  of  his  Son. 
For  if  in  the  words  of  Malachi,  "  he  is  the  Sun  of 
righteousness,"  Mai.  iv.  2,  he  must  have  a  righteous- 
ness. And  if  in  the  words  of  Jeremiah,  he  is  "  the 
Lord  our  righteousness,"  his  righteousness  must  be 
imputed  to  us. 

Although  the  doctrine  of  imputation  is  objected  to, 
(as  we  shall  see  after  a  while)  we  will  here  remark 
that  in  practice  it  is  acted  on  all  over  the  world.  Who 
does  not  know  that  the  iniquities  of  parents  are  impu- 
ted to  their  children,  sometimes  to  the  third  and 
fourth  generations?  Where  could  the  man  be  found, 
who  would  feel  disposed  to  honour  a  son  of  Benedict 
Arnold  ?  But  where  could  the  man  be  found,  who, 
if  it  were  possible,  would  not  go  out  of  his  way,  to 
honour  a  son  of  George  Washington  ?  Where  is  the 
Arminian  who  would  not  delight  to  show  kindness  to 
a  child  of  Wesley  ?  And  where  is  the  Calvinist  who 
would  not  delight  to  show  kindness  to  a  child  of  Cal- 
vin ?  When  Caesar  was  at  war  with  the  Helvetians, 
he  pardoned  the  leader  of  a  revolt  for  the  sake  of  a 
brother  of  the  culprit,  who  was  a  gallant  officer  in  the 
Roman  army.  When  General  Scott  passed  sentence 
of  death  on  seventy  traitors  in  Mexico,  he  pardoned 
a  father  guilty  of  the  same  crime,  for  the  sake  of  a 
gallant  son,  who  had  several  times  planted  his  coun- 
try's flag  on  the  ramparts  of  the  enemy.  In  such  a 
case  a  pardon  is  more  satisfactory  to  justice  than  an 
31 


IMPUTED   RIGHTEOUSNESS. 

execution.  In  such  a  case  the  stern  righteousness  of 
the  law  even,  gives  way  before  the  righteousness  of 
the  individual. 

Now  this  same  doctrine  so  universal  among  men,  is 
as  common  in  the  Scriptures.  God  would  not  have 
destroyed  Sodom  if  there  had  been  ten  righteous  per- 
sons therein,  "  for  the  ten's  sake."  Gen.  xviii.  32. 
Although  Solomon  "  did  not  keep  God's  covenant,  nor 
his  statutes,  the  Lord  would  not  rend  the  kingdom 
from  him,  for  David,  his  father's  sake."  1  Kings  xi. 
.12.  Although  a  Hebrew  was  "  an  abomination  to 
an  Egyptian,"  Gen.  xliii.  32,  for  the  righteousness 
of  Joseph,  Jacob  and  his  family  met  with  peculiar 
favour,  and  peculiar  honour  in  Egypt.  Now  if  such 
things  occur  in  the  kingdoms  of  this  world,  on  account 
of  the  imperfect  righteousness  of  men,  much  more 
may  they  occur  in  the  kingdom  of  God  on  account  of 
the  perfect  righteousness  of  Christ. 

But  how,  it  may  be  asked,  are  the  benefits  of 
Christ's  righteousness  to  be  obtained  ?  We  answer, 
by  faith — "Justification  by  faith  in  the  imputed 
righteousness  of  Christ."  Although  neither  Jacob 
nor  his  children  had  any  claim  upon  Pharaoh,  they 
went  down  into  Egypt  relying  on  the  righteousness  of 
Joseph.  So  also  must  the  sinner  go  to  God  for  par- 
don and  salvation,  in  reliance  on  the  righteousness  of 
Christ.  For  as  Pharaoh  showed  favour  to  the  brethren 
of  Joseph,  for  Joseph's  sake,  since  God  the  Father 
loves  the  Son,  he  will  show  favour  to  the  "  brethren" 
of  his  Son,  for  his  Son's  sake.  And  as  Joseph  was 
not  ashamed  to  tell  Pharaoh  of  his  father  and  breth- 
ren, though  they  were  despised  Assyrians,  since 
Christ,  "  who  sanctifieth,  and  they  that  are  sanctified 
are  all  one,"  he  will  "not  be  ashamed  to  call  them 
brethren,"  Heb.  ii.  11,  though  they  are  redeemed 
and  pardoned  sinners.  This  whole  doctrine  is  most 
beautifully  and  forcibly  expressed  in  hymn  ^98  of 
the  Methodist  Collection. 


IMPUTED   RIGHTEOUSNESS.  363 

"  Jesus,  thy  blood  and  righteousness, 
My  beauty  are,  my  glorious  dress  ; 
Midst  flaming  worlds,  in  these  arrayed, 
With  joy  shall  I  lift  up  my  head. 

"  Bold  shall  I  stand  in  that  great  day. 

For  who  aught  to  my  charge  shall  lay  ? 
Fully  absolved  through  these  I  am, 

From  sin  and  fear,  and  guilt  and  shame." 

But  notwithstanding  "  sinners  are  accounted  right- 
eous by  the  obedience  of  Christ,"  and  "God  pardons 
the  sins  of  believers  and  reckons  them  as  righteous 
as  if  they  had  perfectly  fulfilled  the  law;"  and  not- 
withstanding the  "believer  is  invested  or  clothed  with 
the  righteousness  of  Christ,"  so  that  "by  imputation 
it  is  his,"  we  are  told  that  the  believer  is  not  justified 
so  as  to  be  accounted  righteous  in  the  sight  of  God 
through  the  imputed  righteousness  of  Christ:  but 
that  the  "  plain  Scriptural  notion  of  justification  is 
pardon,  the  forgiveness  of  sins;"*  that  this  "view 
is  amply  supported  by  several  passages  of  Scripture, 
in  which  the  terms  pardon,  forgiveness,  and  remission 
of  sins,  are  used  convertibly  with  the  term  justifica- 
tion ;"f  that  "justification,  pardon,  and  forgiveness, 
as  they  are  used  in  the  Scriptures,  obviously  mean 
one  and  the  same  thing ;"J  and  that  "justification 
in  the  sense  of  the  forgiveness  of  sins  is  the  only 
import  of  the  terms."§ 

To  this  we  reply,  that  as  the  sinner  never  receives 
pardon  from  God,  without  being  justified  by  the  im- 
puted righteousness  of  Christ,  the  term  pardon  is 
frequently  used,  or  referred  to  in  the  Scriptures,  in 
connection  with  justification :  but  to  say  they  are  con- 
vertible terms,  mean  the  same  thing,  and  that  "justi- 
fication in  the  sense  of  the  forgiveness  of  sins,  is  the 
only  import  of  the  term,"  is  about  as  great  an  abuse 

*  Wesley's  Sermon  on  Justification  by  Faith. 
f  Watson's  Life  of  Wesley,  page  147. 
j  Bakewell's  Counsels,  page  16,  Chap.  23. 
\  Theological  Institutes,  Pai't  II.  Chap,  xsiii. 


■864  IMPUTED   RIGHTEOUSNESS. 

of  langnage  and  of  the  Scriptures,  as  could  well  be 
made.  The  word  justify  is  a  legal  term,  the  opposite 
of  condemn;  both  of  which  are  intended  to  state  a 
fact.  As  for  example,  when  it  appears  in  evidence 
that  a  man  under  charge  of  murder,  acted  in  necessary 
self-defence,  he  is  said  to  be  justified.  When  again 
it  appears  in  evidence  that  another  has  been  guilty  of 
unprovoked,  wilful  and  deliberate  murder,  he  is  con- 
demned. Now  the  court  in  pronouncing  the  justifica- 
tion of  the  one,  does  not  make  him  innocent,  but 
simply  states  a  fact,  viz.  that  he  is  innocent.  And 
in  pronouncing  the  guilt  and  condemnation  of  the 
other,  it  does  not  make  him  guilty,  but  simply  states 
a  fact,  viz.  that  he  is  guilty.  That  these  terms  are  \ 
used  in  this  sense  in  the  Scriptures,  will  appear  from 
a  few  examples.  Deut.  xxv.  1:  "If  there  be  a  con- 
troversy between  men,  and  they  come  unto  judgment, 
that  the  judges  may  judge  between  them,  then  they 
shall  justify  the  righteous  and  condemn  the  wicked." 
Here  the  judges  are  directed  to  declare  the  facts  of 
the  case,  viz.  that  the  conduct  of  the  righteous  was 
conformable  to  law,  and  the  conduct  of  the  wicked  a 
violation  thereof. 

1  Kings  viii.  31,  32 :  "  If  any  man  trespass  against 
his  neighbour,  and  an  oath  be  laid  upon  him  to  cause 
him  to  swear,  and  the  oath  come  before  thine  altar  in 
this  house ;  then  hear  thou  in  heaven,  and  do,  and 
judge  thy  servants,  condemning  the  wicked,  to  tiring 
his  way  upon  his  headj  and  justifying  the  right- 
eous." 

In  the  former  of  these  cases,  the  judges  were  di- 
rected to  declare,  that  the  conduct  of  the  righteous 
was  conformable  to  law,  and  the  conduct  of  the  wicked 
in  violation  of  it.  And  in  the  latter,  the  Lord  was 
requested  to  do  the  same  thing,  but  in  neither  case 
would  the  declaration  change  the  character  of  those 
concerned. 

We  will  next  adduce  a  few  passages  in  which  one 


IMPUTED   RiaHTEOUSNESS.  365 

or  both  of  these  terms  are  used.  Matt.  xii.  36,  87, 
"  But  I  say  unto  you  that  every  idle  word  that  men 
shall  speak,  they  shall  give  account  thereof  in  the  day 
of  judgment.  For  by  thy  words  thou  shalt  be  justi- 
fied, and  by  thy  words  thou  shalt  be  condemned." 
Luke  vii.  29,  "  And  all  the  people  that  heard  Christ, 
justified  God,"  &c.  Gal.  ii.  16,  "Knowing  that  a 
man  is  not  justified  by  the  works  of  the  law,  but  by 
the  faith  of  Jesus  Christ."  James  ii.  21,  "Was  not 
Abraham  our  father  justified  by  works  when  he  of- 
fered up  Isaac  his  son,"  &c.  &c. 

Let  us  now  give  to  "justification"  the  meaning 
contended  for,  and  we  will  have  the  judges  directed 
to  "pardon"  the  righteous,  and  God  requested  to  do 
the  same.  Again,  we  will  have  it  stated  in  the  Bible, 
that  men  will  be  pardoned  in  the  day  of  judgment  for 
words  not  spoken  amiss — that  "all  the  people  par- 
doned, God,"  and  that  "  Abraham  was  pardoned  by 
works."  And  yet  we  are  told,  that  "justification  is 
a  sentence  of  pardon;"  "is  the  pardon  of  sin;"  "  the 
pardon  of  sin  by  the  judicial  sentence  of  the  majesty 
of  heaven  under  a  gracious  constitution" — that  "justi- 
fication in  the  sense  of  forgiveness  of  sins,  is  the  only 
import  of  the  term;"*  that  "pardon,  remission,  and 
forgiveness  of  sins  are  used  convertibly  with  the  term 
justification;"  and  that  "the  plain  scriptural  notion 
of  justification  is  pardon,  the  forgiveness  of  sins." 
According  to  these  divines,  therefore,  a  man  who  after 
being  condemned  ten  years  to  hard  labour  in  a  state 
prison,  for  arson,  theft,  or  forgery,  &c.,  on  being  par- 
doned by  the  governor,  after  he  has  worked  out  five 
years,  is  justified  for  his  crime — that  is,  the  pafdon 
justifies  the  offence.  Why,  Mr.  Wesley  even  yields 
the  point.  Thus  commenting  on  Rom.  viii.  30 — 
"Whom  he  called,  them  he  also  justified;"  he  says, 
"  It  is  generally  allowed  that  the  word  'justified,'  ia 

*  Theological  Institutes,  Part  II.  Chap,  xziii. 

31* 


866  IMPUTED   RIGHTEOUSNESS. 

here  taken  in  a  peculiar  sense,  that  it  means,  he  made 
them  righteous."* 

But  again  says  Mr.  "Wesley,  (and  his  statement  is 
endorsed  by  the  General  Conference,)  "  the  righteous- 
ness of  Christ  is  an  expression  I  do  not  find  in  the 

Bible."t 

Here  the  reader  will  be  ready  to  inquire,  Is  it  pos-  ^ 
Bible  that  he  who  said,  "there  is  no  justifying  faith 
which  hath  not  the  righteousness  of  Christ  for  its  ob- 
ject;" that  "the  righteousness  of  Christ  is  the  whole 
and  s6le  foundation  of  all  our  hope,"  &c.;  and  that 
the  Conference,  who  unite  in  an  address  to  Christ,  and 
sing, 

"Clothe  with  thy  righteousness  and  heal. 
And  place  me  at  thy  feet." 

"Jesus,  thy  blood  and  righteousness, 
My  beauty  are,  my  glorious  dress,"  &c. 

are  the  persons  who  now  say,  "  the  righteousness  of 
Christ  is  an  expression  they  do  not  find  in  the 
Bible?" 

But  let  us  see  whether,  after  all,  this  expression  or 
a  full  equivalent,  is  not  found  in  the  Bible.  David, 
speaking  of  Christ,  says  prophetically,  "A  seed  shall 
serve  him;  it  shall  be  accounted  to  the  Lord  for  a 
generation.  They  shall  come  and  declare  his  right- 
eousness." Ps.  xxii.  30,  31. 

"  Shall  declare  his  righteousness."  Whose  right- 
eousness? Why  the  righteousness  of  Christ.  Rom. 
V.  18,  "  Therefore,  as  by  the  ofience  of  one,  judgment 
came  upon  all  men  to  condemnation,  even  so,  by  the 
righteousness  of  one,  the  free  gift  came  upon  all  men 
to  justification  of  life."  Mr.  Wesley  and  the  General 
Conference  commenting  on  this  passage,  say,  "  When 
St.  Paul  says,  '  by  the  righteousness  of  one  .  .  .  the 

*  Sermon  on  Predestination.  f  Doctrinal  Tracts,  p.  205. 


IMPUTED   RIGHTEOUSNESS.  80T 

free  gift  came,'  &c.,  does  he  not  mean  the  righteous- 
ness of  Christ?  Undoubtedly  he  does.  But  this  is 
not  the  question.  We  are  not  inquiring  about  what 
he  means,  but  what  he  says."* 

Here  then,  it  is  admitted,  that  when  Paul  says, 
"by  the  righteousness  of  one,"  he  means  "the  right- 
eousness of  Christ."  But  they  continue,  "If  by  the 
righteousness  of  Christ  we  mean  anything  which  the 
Scriptures  do  not  mean,  it  is  certain  we  put  darkness 
for  light.  If  we  mean  the  same  which  the  Scripture 
means  by  different  expressions,  why  do  we  prefer  this 
expression  to  the  scriptural?  Is  not  this  correcting 
the  wisdom  of  the  Holy  Ghost,  and  opposing  our  own 
to  the  perfect  knowledge  of  God."t 

So  then,  we  are  to  have  nothing  but  chapter  and 
verse,  and  not  to  express  Scripture  teaching,  in  any 
other  than  Scripture  language.  But  why  do  not 
these  divines  set  the  example,  and  practise  what  they 
preach?  Ye  who  teach  others,  teach  ye  not  your- 
selves ?  Ye  who  say,  others  should  not  use  any  but 
Scripture  language,  do  ye  use  no  other  ?  For  the 
term  "  righteousness  of  Christ,"  is  freely  used  among 
you. 

But  further,  the  expression  objected  to,  is  a  Scrip- 
ture expression.  Thus  2  Peter  i.  1 :  "  To  them  that 
have  obtained  like  precious  faith  with  us,  through 
the  righteousness  of  God  and  our  Saviour  Jesus 
Christ." 

In  the  original  it  reads  thus :  "  Through  the  right- 
eousness of  our  God  and  Saviour  Jesus  Christ." 

Does  the  reader  wish  to  see  how  Mr.  Wesley  and 
the  General  Conference  get  around  this  passage  ? 
He  has  seen  how  they  garble  the  Confession  of 
Faith,  he  shall  now  see  how  they  garble  the  Scrip- 
tures also.  But  hear  them  :  "  The  righteousness  of 
Christ  is  an  expression  I  do  not  find  in  the  Bible. 

*  Doctrinal  Tracts,  page  208.  f  Ibid. 


368  IMPUTED   RIGHTEOUSNESS. 

The  righteousness  of  God  is  an  expression  I  do  find 
there.  I  believe  this  means  first,  the  mercy  of  God, 
as  2  Peter  1 :  "  Them  that  have  obtained  like  pre- 
cious faith  with  us  through  the  righteousness  of 
God."* 

Here,  they  so  break  off  the  sentence,  as  to  leave 
out  the  very  expression  which  they  say  they  "  do  not 
find  in  the  Bible."  And  "  is  not  this  correcting 
the  wisdom  of  the  Holy  Ghost,  and  opposing  their 
own  to  the  perfect  wisdom  of  God  ?"  How  Mr.  Wes- 
ley and  the  General  Conference  are  to  escape  the 
charge  of  "handling  the  word  of  God  deceitfully," 
2  Cor.  iv.  2,  is  not  for  us  to  say.  If  they  had  made 
the  Scriptures,  these  "  sacred  oracles"  would  no 
doubt  have  been  very  different  in  many  places.  "We 
are  reminded  of  a  man  who  not  long  since  was  object- 
ing very  much  to  some  of  the  doctrines  which  he  said 
were  contained  in  the  Presbyterian  Confession  of 
Faith.  On  being  asked  if  he  had  read  that  book,  he 
gave  a  negative  answer.  It  was  then  presented  to 
him  on  condition  that  he  would  read  it.  Some  time 
after,  the  donor  met  him  and  inquired  whether  he 
had  read  the  book,  and  how  he  liked  it  ?  In  reply 
he  said,  "  he  had  read  it;  that  with  the  large  print," 
(meaning  the  Confession,)  "  he  got  along  very  well, 
but  that  the  little  print  below,"  (meaning  the  Scrip- 
tures referred  to  in  proof  of  the  Confession,)  "was 
the  very  devil."  And  truly,  it  would  puzzle  any  one 
to  explain  how  he  can  swallow  the  references,  yet 
choke  at  the  Confession. 

But  to  return.  Mr.  Wesley  and  the  General  Con- 
ference tell  us  "  they  are  the  more  sparing  in  the 
use  of  this  expression,  viz.  the  righteousness  of  Christ, 
because  it  has  been  so  frequently  and  dreadfully 
abused ;  and  because  the  Antinomians  used  it  to 
justify  the  grossest  abominations."     And  they  ask, 

*  Doctrinal  Tracts,  page  205. 


IMPUTED   RIGHTEOUSNESS.  369 

"  doth  not  this  way  of  speaking  naturally  tend  to 
make  Christ  the  minister  of  sin  ?"* 

In  reply  to  this,  we  say,  it  is  admitted  that  when 
Paul  speaks  of  the  "righteousness  of  one,"  he  means 
the  righteousness  of  Christ. f 

2.  We  have  shown  that  "the  righteousness  of 
Christ"  is  a  Scripture  expression.  Since  then  this 
phrase  "  expresses  the  meaning  of  the  Scripture,  and 
is  itself  a  Scripture  expression,  if  Arminians  will 
inform  us  of  another  that  will  better  accord  with  the 
"  wisdom  of  the  Holy  Ghost,"  and  more  conform  our 
own  knowledge  "  to  the  perfect  knowledge  of  God," 
and  thus  be  less  liable  to  Antinomian  abuse,  we  may 
consider  the  propriety  of  using  it.  Till  then  we  will 
not  hesitate  to  use  the  inspired  language  of  the  Apos- 
tle Peter,  in  preference  to  the  uninspired  language  of 
Mr.  Wesley,  and  especially  since  Mr.  Wesley  does 
not  hesitate  to  use  it  himself. 

Having  disposed  of  what  is  said  against  the  use  of 
the  phrase  "  the  righteousness  of  Christ,"  we  will 
notice  what  is  said  against  the  phrase,  "  the  imputed 
righteousness  of  Christ."  Mr.  Wesley,  in  a  letter  to 
the  Rev.  James  Hervey,  says,  "For  Christ's  sake, 
and  for  the  sake  of  immortal  souls  which  he  has  pur- 
chased with  his  blood,  do  not  dispute  for  that  particu- 
lar phrase,  the  'imputed  righteousness  of  Christ.'  It 
is  not  scriptural,  it  is  not  necessary."  Again  he 
asks,  "  Where  is  the  need,  where  is  the  use  of  con- 
tending so  strenuously,  for  the  imputaion  of  his 
righteousness  ?  The  nice  metaphysical  doctrine  of 
imputed  righteousness  leads  not  to  repentance  but  to 
licentiousness." 

And  is  this  from  the  man  who  elsewhere  says,  "  O 
ye  fools  !  when  will  ye  understand"  that  the  preaching 
of  justification  by  faith  alone  ;  the  allowing  of  no 
meritorious  cause  of  justification  but  the  death  and 

*  Doctrinal  Tracts,  page  209.  f  Ibid,  page  208. 


370  IMPUTED   RIGHTEOUSNESS. 

righteousness  of  Christ ;  and  no  condition  or  instru- 
mental cause  but  faith,  is  overturning  Popery  from 
the  foundation?"  Is  it  from  the  same  man  who  says, 
*'  the  righteousness  of  Christ  is  imputed  to  every 
one  that  believes,  as  soon  as  he  believes?"  that  he 
"always  did,  and  does  still  continually  affirm  that  the 
righteousness  of  Christ  is  imputed  to  every  believer?" 
that  although  "all  Infidels,"  "all  Socinians,  Arians 
and  members  of  the  Church  of  Rome  deny  it,"  "  we 
(Methodists)  are  not  among  those  who  are  so  dark  in 
their  conceptions  and  expressions.  We  no  more  deny 
the  phrase  than  the  thing."  To  this  we  can  give  no 
other  reply  than  that  the  man  who  wrote  the  former, 
wrote  the  latter  also. 

We  will  next  hear  a  statement  from  him,  in  which 
the  General  Conference  unite.  "  We  are  all  agreed," 
says  he,  "as  to  the  meaning,  but  not  as  to  the  expres- 
sion, '  the  imputed  righteousness  of  Christ,'  which 
I  still  say,  I  dare  not  insist  upon,  neither  require 
any  one  to  use,  because  I  cannot  find  it  in  the  Bible." 
*'  If  the  very  personal  obedience  of  Christ  be  mine 
the  moment  I  believe,  can  anything  be  added  thereto? 
Does  my  obeying  God  add  any  value  to  the  perfect 
obedience  of  Christ  ?  On  this  scheme,  then,  are  not 
the  holy  and  unholy  on  the  very  same  footing  ?"* 

And  are  these  the  divines,  who  in  arranging  hymns 
to  be  sung  in  the  churches  say,  in  addressing  the 
Saviour : 

"  Jesus,  thy  blood  and  righteousness, 
My  beauty  are,  my  glorious  dress; 
'Midst  flaming  worlds  in  these  arrayed, 
With  joy  shall  I  lift  up  my  head. 

Bold  shall  I  stand  in  that  great  day, 
For  who  aught  to  my  charge  shall  lay  ? 

Fully  absolved  through  these  I  am. 

From  sin  and  fear,  and  guilt  and  shame." 

*  Doctrinal  Tracts,  pages,  208,  209. 


IMPUTED  RIGHTEOUSNESS.  871 

To  wliicli  we  may  add  two  other  verses  of  the  same 
hymn,  as  it  came  from  Mr.  Wesley,  but  which  the 
General  Conference  have  omitted,  viz. 

"This  spotless  robe  the  same  appears, 
When  ruined  nature  sinks  in  years; 
No  age  can  change  its  glorious  hue, 
The  robe  of  Christ  is  ever  new. 

0  let  the  dead  now  hear  fhy  voice. 
Bid,  Lord,  thy  banished  ones  rejoice; 

Their  beauty  this,  their  glorious  dress, 
Jesus  the  Lord  our  righteousness." 

In  reference  to  these  stanzas,  we  will  only  say,  if 
they  do  not  teach  that  a  believer  is  justified  by  the 
imputed  righteousness  of  Christ,  it  would  be  difficult 
to  find  language  that  did.  Although  then,  the  Me- 
thodist Church  objects  to  the  doctrine  in  their  Doc- 
trinal Tracts,  as  they  teach  it  so  distinctly  in  their 
Hymn-book,  the  objection  has  no  weight  with  them- 
selves, and  cannot  be  expected  to  have  greater  weight 
with  others. 

As  to  the  charge,  that  both  the  phrase  and  the 
doctrine  taught  by  the  phrase,  "lead  to  impenitence 
and  licentiousness,"  we  remark,  that  if,  in  the  face  of 
the  clear  and  explicit  statements,  ("  as  many  as  are 
led  by  the  Spirit  of  God  are  the  sons  of  God,"  Rom. 
viii.  14,  "and  by  their  fruits  ye  shall  know  them,") 
any  one  supposes  that  by  being  "  born  of  the  Spirit," 
he  imbibes  a  love  for  sin,  and  that  for  it  he  finds  a 
cloak  in  the  imputed  righteousness  of  Christ,  there  is 
not  a  doctrine  in  the  Bible  he  would  not  pervert. 
He  who  "is  born  of  God"  partakes  of  the  holy  nature 
of  God,  consequently,  he  must  feel  an  aversion  to  sin. 
And  although  he  "finds  a  law  in  his  members  warring 
against  the  law  of  his  mind,  and  bringing  him  into 
captivity  to  the  law  of  sin  which  is  in  his  members," 
with  Paul  he  cries  out,  "  0  wretched  man  that  I  am ! 
who  shall  deliver  me  from  the  body  of  this  death  ?" 
That  faith  in  Christ  which  does  not  lead  to  holiness 


372  IMPUTED   RIGHTEOUSNESS. 

of  life  is  a  dead  faith.  Hence  we  say,  with  Mr.  Wes- 
ley, "God  implants  righteousness  in  every  one  to 
whom  he  imputes  it,  and  sanctifies  as  well  as  justi- 
fies all  that  believe."* 

When  travellers  get  lost,  they  are  apt  to  travel  in 
all  directions,  and  of  course,  are  sometimes  in  the 
right  one.  While  a  theological  writer  sticks  to  Cal- 
vinism, he  steers  a  straight  course,  as  has  been  shown; 
but  when  he  leaves  that,  he  wanders  about  through  a 
dense  fog,  until  he  gets  back  again.  Having  seen 
the  winding  course  of  a  ship  when  guided  under  an 
Arminian  chart,  it  is  gratifying  to  see  it  return  to  the 
point,  by  departing  from  which  it  began  to  err. 
Take  the  following  from  the  Christian  Advocate  and 
Journal^  the  great  organ  of  the  Methodist  Church 
North,  of  Feb.  9,  1854. 

^''Pardon — Justification. — Are  these  words  syno- 
nymous? that  is,  do  they  each  convey  the  same  idea? 
Can  they  be  used  interchangeably  without  impairing 
correct  statements  of  gospel  truth?  Do  they  each 
equally  express  the  action  of  the  Deity  in  the  case  of 
a  repenting  sinner  ? 

"An  answer  to  either  of  these  questions  would  go 
far  to  relieve  uncertainty  as  to  the  others;  and  we 
might,  it  is  true,  summarily  dispose  of  the  first  by  an 
appeal  to  the  dictionaries.  But  are  these  satisfying 
authorities?  We  all  know  how  common  it  is  for  dic- 
tionaries to  expound  one  word  by  rehearsing  several 
similar  ones,  and  then,  when  we  seek  for  the  import 
of  one  or  more  of  these  similar  words,  we  find  again 
the  same  words  repeated,  with  the  addition,  it  may 
be,  of  the  one  first  explained !  so  that  all  similar 
words  thus  appear  to  be  synonymous,  when,  strictly, 
speaking,  we  have  no  synonyms. 

"  But  may  not  a  single  and  thus  more  direct  question 
be  substituted  for  all  the  above,  the  answer  to  which 

•  *  Sermon  on  Imputed  Righteousness. 


IMPUTED   RIGHTEOUSNESS.  373 

will  present  all  that  is  important  for  us  to  know  on  this 
subject,  viz.  Do  the  sacred  penmen  use  these  words 
interchangeably  ?  I  think  not.  At  least  the  New 
Testament  writers  do  not,  for  one  of  these  words,  viz. 
pardon^  is  not  found  on  its  pages.  This  is  a  most 
significant  fact,  only  to  be  accounted  for,  it  would 
seem,  on  the  supposition  that  our  translators  did  not 
find  its  equivalent  in  the  Greek,  and  knew  that  the 
idea  which  it  conveys  would  not  be  a  correct  one  in 
the  premises.  What  is  this  idea?  What  legitimate 
impression  does  this  word  make  when  it  is  used? 
Does  it  not  properly  convey  one  idea  alone?  If,  for 
instance,  we  hear  one  say,  '  I  beg  pardon,'  do  we  not 
at  once  conceive  of  some  wrong  committed  of  which 
this  phrase  is  at  once  a  confession  and  a  petition  for 
prerogative  exemption  from  just  consequences  ?  Again, 
when  it  is  said,  'The  governor  has  pardoned  him,* 
do  we  not  receive  the  single  idea  of  a  sentenced  crimi- 
nal remaining  guilty,  though  released  by  executive 
prerogative  from  the  penalty  pronounced  by  the 
judge  ?  Or,  do  these  words  convey  the  twofold  idea 
of  a  liberated  felon  at  once  released  from  both  the 
penalty  and  guilt  of  his  crime,  and  transformed  by 
this  act  of  pardon  into  a  free  and  justified  citizen? 
Or,  is  the  governor  ever  said  to  justly  a  criminal  ?  If 
not,  then  this  word  pardon  cannot  be  used  inter- 
changeably with  the  gospel  term  '•justification.'  It 
would  not  be  a  correct  one  in  the  premises,  and  hence 
is  not  used  at  all  in  the  New  Testament,  either  by  its 
inspired  writers  or  by  our  translators. 

"  How,  then,  has  this  word  obtained  such  universal 
currency  among  orthodox  Christians — a  currency 
.  which  has  substituted  it  in  popular  use  to  the  almost 
entire  exclusion  of  the  other,  when  this  other  is  so 
frequently  used  by  our  Lord  and  his  apostles  ?  Why, 
why  is  this  ?  Can  it  be  thought  that  this  common- 
place term  is  so  much  better  than  our  nervous  old 
Anglo-Saxon  word  'forgiveness,'  or  the  equally  strong 
32 


374  IMPUTED   RIGHTEOUSNESS^ 

ones  derived  from  the  Latin,  'remission'  and  'justi- 
fication V  Good  taste  forbid  !  But  the  objection  is 
not  only,  or  even  mainly,  to  the  bad  taste  of  this  sub- 
stitution. There  are  other  and  far  stronger  objec- 
tions. Have  we,  for  instance,  the  right  thus  to  sub- 
stitute a  word  so  utterly  unscriptural,  that  it  is  not  to 
be  found  in  the  New  Testament,  for  those  by  which 
the  Holy  Ghost  has  seen  fit  to  express  his  truth — 
especially  in  view  of  that  solemn  injunction,  ,'  If 
any  man  speak,  let  him  speak  as  the  oracles  of  God?' 
Again  :  Glaring  as  seems  this  impropriety,  it  becomes 
not  only  objectionable,  but  sinfully  dangerous  when 
this  word,  thus  unjustifiably  substituted- brings  with 
it  such  a  modification  of  gospel  truth,  as  amounts  to 
a  popular  perversion  of  the  very  doctrine  of  justifica- 
tion by  faith,  with  all  its  associa'^ted  blessings  ! 

'"If,  as  we  have  seen  above,  'pardon'  is  an  absolute 
prerogative  act  by  which  the  executive  power  authori- 
tatively exempts  a  sentenced  criminal  (by  arresting 
the  exection  of  the  law)  from  the  penalty  which  it 
has  pronounced,  and  without  even  pretending  io  jus- 
tify him,  the  sinner^  in  this  case,  so  far  from  being 
justified  by  faith,  is  not  justified  at  all!  and  of  course 
cannot  'have  peace  with  God,'  'access  to  him,'  nor 
any  consistent  rejoicing  'in  hope  of  his  glory.'  In 
mercy's  name  let  us  return  to  '  the  words  which  the 
Holy  Ghost  teaeheth.' 

"And,  again,  this  doctrine  of  ^pardon'  involves  us 
in  a  most  ridiculous  absurdity  ;  for  if  it  is  descriptive 
of  a  prerogative  act,  which,  in  the  given  case,  frees 
the  guilty  by  simply  arresting  the  execution  of  sen- 
tence, the  sentence,  of  course,  must  be  pronounced 
before  it  can  be  arrested;  and  shall  we,  who  so 
strongly  contend  that  this  is  a  state  of  probation — 
that  'sentence  is  not  executed  against  an  evil  work,' 
— that  even  the  judgment  itself  is  suspended  until  all 
earthly  acts,  and  actors,  and  their  earthly  conse- 
quences shall  be  arrested  by  the  end  of  earth — com- 


IMPUTED   RIGHTEOUSNESS.  875 

mit  the  egregious  folly  of  stultifying  our  own  teach- 
ings, by  substituting  for  the  plain  words  of  Christ  and 
his  Apostles  a  word  which  is  not  only  never  used  by 
them,  but  which  exhibits  the  gross  absurdity  of  repre- 
senting the  Almighty  as  pardoning  the  sinner  not 
only  before  sentence,  but  even  in  advance  of  trial, 
yea,  even  before  the  court  is  in  session,  before  which 
alone  he  can  be  tried — in  fact,  before  he  is  arrested 
or  even  indicted,  and  that,  too,  in  the  very  teeth  of 
the  public  proclamation  of  the  Judge  himself,  even 
our  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  that  *  the  Father  judgeth  no 
man,  but  hath  committed  all  judgment  unto  the  Son?' 
And  shall  w*e  commit  this  absurd  folly  ?  We  !  For- 
bid it  common-sense! 

"  But  does  not  the  Bible  say,  'The  sinner  is  con- 
demned already  ?'  No,  no !  the  Bible  uses  no  such 
word.  Christ,  indeed,  said  to  Nicodemus,  '  He  that 
helieveth  not  is  condemned  already;'  but  he  prefaced 
it  by  declaring,  '  He  that  believeth  is  not  condemned ;' 
and  of  neither  did  he  say  he  was  sentenced^  so  that 
neither  was  properly  a  subject  of  pardon:  and  even 
if  he  had  said  that  the  entire  race  were  both  con- 
demned and  sentenced,  a  general  act  of  executive 
pardon  would  not,  could  not  justify  them;  and  'jus- 
tification by  faith'  is  the  doctrine  of  the  gospel,  and 
not  pardon  by  prerogative,  nor  yet  pardon  on  condi- 
tion of  faith.  But,  again,  the  question  is  not  about 
the  state  of  either  the  unbeliever  or  the  guilty  sinner — 
far  less  about  a  sentenced  one — but  about  a  justified 
believer ;  one  whose  '  faith  is  counted  to  him  for 
righteousness,'  as  a  full  equivalent,  supplying  the  lack 
in  all  previous  omission;  one  who,  while  his  faith 
is  thus  counted  to  him,  has  his  sins  taken  away  from 
him — borne  'into  the  land  of  forgetfulness' — by  the 
Lamb  of  God,  'who  was  manifested  to  take  away  our 
sins.'  For  whether  the  words  rendered,  'take  away,' 
'forgiveness,'  or  'omission,'  be  aipio,  d(pc7jfju,d<f sffi^,  or 
Ttdpsffa;,  the  idea  is  always  'dissociation,  separation, 


376  IMPUTED    RIGHTEOUSNESS. 

removal;'  so  that  believers  in  Christ  Jesus  stand 
before  God  and  his  universe,  not  as  pardoned  felons, 
guilty,  though  released,  but  as  guiltless  sinners ! 
whose  sins  are  'removed  from  them  as  far  as  the  east 
is  from  the  west,'  and  who  may  exclaim  in  triumph  with 
Paul,  'Who  shall  lay  anything  to  the  charge  of  God's 
elect?'  Christ  hath  died,  and  God  hath  justified  us, 
and  'there  is '  therefore,  now  no  condemnation  to 
them  who  are  in  Christ  Jesus ;'  for  they  that  believe 
zxe  justified  from  all  things. 

"And  shall  we — what!  all  of  us,  Methodists,  Bap- 
tists, Presbyterians,  and  Congregationalists,  the  sons 
of  Luther,  Calvin,  Knox,  and  Wesley-^who  battled 
the  world,  the  devil,  and  the  pope,  in  arms  for  that 
watchword  of  the  gospel  and  the  Reformation — 'jus- 
tification by  faith' — quietly  suffer  them  to  steal  from 
us  what  they  could  not  force  away  by  fire,  and  steel, 
and  cord,  and  slily  to  slip  into  our  Church-language 
from  both  tongue  and  pen  this  flippant  French  phrase, 
which,  so  far  from  containing  the  true  idea  of  satis- 
faction for  sin,  and  deliverance  from  it,  which  the 
other — the  gospel  word  alone — so  fully  embodies, 
actually  conveys  no  idea  of  an  atonement,  but  simply 
represents  a  prerogative  act  of  executive  power,  which 
may  or  may  not  be  unjust  in  its  exercise,  capricious 
in  its  motives,  unworthy  in  its  subjects,  and  but  nega- 
tive at  best  in  its  benefits,  as  it  merely  arrests  the 
execution  of  a  sentence,  without  restoring  to  the 
guilty  (whom  it  only  frees  from  punishment)  either 
the  esteem  or  social  privileges  of  society?  Forbid 
it,  respect  for  the  martyrs  of  the  Reformation. 

"  Is  this  the  position  of  a  child  of  God  ?  Is  this 
his  standing  among  '  an  innumerable  company  of 
angels'  in  'the  general  assembly  and  Church  of  the 
first-born,  and  the  spirits  of  just  men  made  perfect,' 
to  whom  Paul  declares  the  believer  has  already  come? 
Is  this  pardoned,  yet  still  guilty  felon,  with  all  his 
sins  attached,  because  unjustified,  'a  fellow  citizen 


IMPUTED   RIGHTEOUSNESS.  877 

vritli  the  saints  ?'  0,  how  this  word  felon  lowers  the 
child  of  God — this  joint  heir  with  Christ,  by  robbing 
him  of  this  precious  benefit  of  his  vicarious  death ! 

"  This  word  pardon  may  indeed  satisfy  the  entire 
genus  of  Unitarians;  nay,  it  is  the  very  word  of 
words  for  the  Universalist,  whose  entire  system  is  at 
open  war  with  the  doctrine  of  vicarious  satisfaction 
for  sin — without  which  the  concomitant  doctrine  of 
justification  by  faith  is  absurd.  But  for  us  to  use  it 
in  the  place  of  either  'remission,'  'forgiveness,'  or 
'justification,'  is  at  once  a  falsification  of  Scripture 
language  and  a  perversion  of  gospel  truth — at  once 
the  giving  up  without  a  challenge — without  even  a 
conceivable  motive,  of  all  that  St.  Paul  has  so  earn- 
estly contended  for  in  the  Epistles  to  the  Romans 
and  Galatians,  and  leaving  these  mistaken  ones, 
without  warning  them  against  this  fallacy,  to  con- 
ceive of,  and  trust  in  a  hope  engendered  by  the 
use  of  a  word  of  which  the  gospel  is  alike  igno- 
rant and  devoid.  When,  on  the  contrary,  as  the 
gospel  idea  of  'justification  by  faith'  is  absolutely 
dependent  on  full  satisfaction  being  rendered  on 
behalf  of  the  party  so  justified — we  might,  by  an 
unvarying  and  unmodified  declaration  of  this  doctrine 
lead  them  to  true  '  repentance  toward  God  and  faith 
in  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ,'  confidently  assuring  them 
that  God  will  thus  '/or-give'  (that  is,  not  give)  '  them 
their  sins' — but  the  '  re-mission'  (that  is,  the  sending 
away)  '  of  their  sins' — ''justifying  them  freely  by  his 
grace,  through  the  redemption  that  is  in  Christ  Jesus; 
whom  God  hath  set  forth  to  be  a  propitiation,  through 
faith  in  his  blood,  to  declare  his  righteousness  for  the 
remission  of  sins  that  are  past.'  J.  W. 

Rockaway" 


32* 


378 
CHAPTER    XVIII. 

ENTIKB    SAXCTIFICATION,    ETC. 

In  the  present  chapter  we  will  notice  briefly,  the 
various  degrees  of  holiness,  to  which,  according  to 
Arminians,  a  believer  may  attain  in  the  present  life. 
We  say  "  various"  degrees.  For  although  each  de- 
gree is  laid  down  as  undoubtedly  true,  and  three 
of  them,  as  each,  exclusively  true,  they  are  so  nume- 
rous, that  taken  together,  they  will  be  found  to  make 
a  four-sided  figure. 

The  first  attainment  contended  for,  is,  entire  free- 
dom from  actual  sin.  This,  it  is  argued,  must  neces- 
sarily, and  at  once,  be  attained  by  all  Christians. 

Thus  say  Mr.  Wesley  and  the  General  Conference, 
"  In  conformity  both  to  the  doctrine  of  St.  John,  and 
the  whole  tenor  of  the  New  Testament,  we  fix  this 
conclusion — a  Christian  is  so  far  perfect  as  not  to 
commit  sin.  This  is  the  glorious  privilege  of  every 
Christian  ;  yea,  though  he  be  but  a  babe.  But  it  is 
only  of  grown  Christians  it  can  be  affirmed,  they  are 
in  such  a  sense  perfect  as  to  be  freed  from  evil 
desires."* 

If  then,  "Christians,  even  babes  in  Christ  are  so 
far  perfect  as  not  to  commit  sin,"  he  who  sins,  is  not 
a  Christian.  Accordingly,  "all  wilful  sin  was  held," 
by  the  first  Annual  Conference  in  England,  "to  imply 
a  casting  away  of  vital  faith,  and  thereby  to  bring  a 
man  under  wrath  and  "condemnation,"  so  that  "it  is 
not  possible  for  him  to  have  justifying  faith  again 
without  previously  repenting."f  "All  who  married 
unbelievers  were  to  be  expelled  from  (the)  society."| 

*  Doctrinal  Tracts,  pp.  294,  296. 

f  Watson's  Life  of  Wesley,  page  148.  J  Ibid,  page  174. 


18NTIRB   SAKCTIFICATION.  379 

It  was  "  expected  of  all  who  continued  therein,  that 
they  should  evidence  their  desire  of  salvation  ('from 
their  sins')  by  avoiding  evil  of  every  kind,  and  among 
the  evils  named,  was  '  the  putting  on  of  gold,  or  costly 
apparel.'  "*     "The  assistants  were  to  give  no  band- 
ticket  to  any  man  or  woman,  who  did  not  promise  to 
leave  off  needless   ornaments,   drams,  snuff  and  to- 
bacco."t    "Helpers"  were  required  at  their  induction 
into  office  to  answer  in  the  negative  the  question, 
"  Do  you  take  snuff,  tobacco,  drams  ?"J    The  General 
Conference  in  this  country,  also  urge  "  all  who  are 
aiming  at  Christian  perfection  to  resolve  that  none  of 
their  happiness  shall  consist  in  eating  and  drinking, 
or  in  any  of  the   pleasures  of  sense."§     And  "to 
guard  those  who  are  saved  from  sin,  from  every  occa- 
sion of  stumbling,"  they  urge  them  to  "  admit  no  desire 
of  pleasing  food,  or  any  other  pleasure  of  sense :  no  de- 
sire of  pleasing  the  eye  or  the  imagination,  by  anything 
grand,  or  new,  or  beautiful:  no  desire  of  money,  of 
praise,  or   esteem;   of  happiness  in  any  creature."|| 
Mr.  Wesley  lays  it  down  as  certain,  that  "a  man 
cannot  have  any  religion  who  does  to  others  what  he 
would  not  they  should  do  to  him,  if  he  were  in  the 
same  circumstances."^ 

The  General  Conference  also,  in  the  "  Directions 
given  to  the  Band  Societies,"  say,  "You  are  sup- 
posed to  have  the  faith  that  overcometh  the  world. — 
To  you,  therefore,  it  is  not  grievous, 

"5.  To  wear  no  needless  ornaments,  such  as  rings, 
ear-rings,  necklaces,  lace  or  ruffles."** 

Again,  we  have  the  following  rule  in  reference  to 
dress : 

"  Question.  Should  we  insist  on  the  rules  concern- 
ing dress  ? 

*  Whitehead's  Life  of  Wesley,  page  100. 

t  Ibid,  page  204.  %  Ibid,  page  207. 

g  Christian's  Manual,  page  132.  ||  Doctrinal  Tracts,  p.  358. 

^  Sermon  on  "The  Way  to  the  Kingdom." 

**  Discipline,  Sec.  iii. 


380  ENTIRE   SANCTinCATION. 

"Answer.  Bj  all  means.  This  is  no  time  to  give 
any  encouragement  to  superfluity  of  apparel.  There- 
fore give  no  tickets  to  any,  till  they  have  left  off  su- 
perfluous ornaments.  In  order  to  this,  1.  Let  every 
one  who  has  the  charge  of  a  circuit,  read  the  thoughts 
upon  dress,  at  least  once  a  year,  in  every  large  so- 
ciety. 2.  In  visiting  the  classes,  be  very  mild,  but 
very  strict.  3.  Allow  of  no  exempt  cases;  better 
one  suffer  than  many.  4.  Give  no  tickets  to  any 
that  wear  high  heads,  enormous  bonnets,  ruffles,  or 
rings."* 

In  reference  to  "Marriage,"  the  General  Confer- 
ence says: 

^^  Question.  1.  Do  we  observe  any  evil  which  has 
prevailed  in  our  Church  with  respect  to  marriage  ? 

*'^  Answer.  Many  of  our  members  have  married 
with  unawakened  persons.  This  has  produced  bad 
effects.  They  have  been  either  hindered  for  life,  or 
have  turned  back  to  perdition. 

"  Q.     2.  What  can  be  done  to  discourage  this? 

"A.  1.  Let  every  preacher  publicly  enforce  the 
Apostle's  caution,  'Be  ye  not  unequally  yoked  to- 
gether with  unbelievers.'  2  Cor.  vi.  14. 

"  2.  Let  him  declare,  whosoever  does  this  will  be 
put  back  on  trial  for  six  months." 

"  We  do  not  prohibit  our  people  from  marrying 
persons  who  are  not  of  our  Church,  provided  such 
persons  have  the  form,  and  are  seeking  the  power  of 
godliness;  but  we  are  determined  to  discourage  their 
marrying  persons  who  do  not  come  up  to  this  descrip- 
tion. Even  in  a  doubtful  case,  the  member  shall  be 
put  back  on  trial. "f  In  the  edition  of  the  Discipline 
just  before  the  division  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal 
Church,  the  penalty  of  being  put  back  is  not  men- 
tioned, but  the  prohibition  is  unchanged. 

On  all  this  we  have  several  remarks  to  make.    And, 

*  Discipline,  Sec.  iv.  f  Ibid.  Sec.  v. 


ENTIRE   SANCTIFICATION.  381 

1.  Our  Saviour  taught  his  disciples  to  pray,  "For- 
give us  our  sins."  Luke  xi.  4.  He  then  who  ''is  so 
fiir  perfect,  as  not  to  commit  sin,"  has  got  ahead  of 
the  disciples  of  Christ.  The  publican  might  pray, 
*'  God  be  merciful  to  me  a  sinner,"  Luke  xviii.  13,  but 
this  man  can  pray,  "  God,  I  thank  thee,  that  I  am  not 
as  other  men."  Luke  xviii.  IL 

2.  If  "  a  man  cannot  have  any  religion  who  does 
to  others  what  he  would  not  they  should  do  to  him,  if 
he  were  in  the  same  circumstances,"  what  becomes  of 
Messrs.  Wesley,  Watson,  Fisk,  and  Arminian  writers 
generally?  Will  it  be  pretended,  that  in  misquoting, 
garbling,  forging,  misrepresenting  and  slandering,  as 
we  have  seen,  they  have  not  violated  the  rule? 

3.  If  "  all  wilful  sin  implies  a  casting  away  of  vital 
faith,"  and  "marrying  an  unbeliever,"  "putting  on 
gold,  or  costly  apparel,"  "using  snuff  or  tobacco," 
"  admitting  a  desire  of  any  pleasure  of  sense,"  is 
a  wilful  sin,  what  becomes  of  half  the  preachers  and 
half  the  members  of  the  Methodist  Church  ? 

"  In  the  Baltimore  Methodist  Conference,  the  other 
day,  Rev.  R.  Cadden  stated  that  two  hundred  preach- 
ers of  that  body  chewed  tobacco,  and  one  hundred 
smoked  cigars,  all  of  them  expending  $6000,  which 
he  said  would  support  two  missionaries  in  China."* 

4.  If  we  are  to  "admit  no  desire  of  pleasing  food," 
he  who  desires  pleasant  food  in  preference  to  other, 
simply  because  it  is  more  pleasant,  though  not  more 
wholesome,  must,  without  repentance,  go  to  hell. 
The  same  is  true  of  the  man  who  plants  flowers  with 
a  desire  to  see  them,  or  desires  to  see  the  Natural 
Bridge,  the  Falls  of  Niagara,  &c. 

5.  That  such  instructions  should  have  been  laid 
down  for  monks  and  hermits,  would  not  be  surprising; 
but  he  who  "admits  no  desire  of  any  pleasure  of 
sense,  of  pleasing  the  eye  or  the  imagination,  by  any- 
thing grand  or  beautiful;    no  desire  of  money,  of 

*  New  York  Observer,  April  12,  1855. 


B8!2  ENTIRE   SANCTIFICATION. 

praise,  or  esteem,  or  of  happiness  in  any  creature," 
is  not  fit  to  live,  either  on  earth,  or  in  heavert.* 
Why  were  grand  and  beautiful  objects  made,  pleasant 
food,  &c.,  and  why  were  our  senses  given,  but  to  enjoy 
these  bounties  of  Providence  ?  Does  the  reader  say, 
*'  Well !  all  this,  except  that  about  drams,  snuff,  and 
tobacco,  is  too  bad;  is  there  no  contradiction?" 
There  is  now  before  us'  a  book  with  the  title  of  "  Me- 
thodism in  Earnest,"  "being  the  history  of  a  great 
revival  in  Great  Britain,  in  which  ten  thousand  pro- 
fessed sanctification  in  about  six  years,  in  connection 
with  the  labours  of  the  Rev.  James  Caughey."  Mr. 
Caughey,  writing  to  a  friend,  from  Canada,  in  July 
1841,  says,  "As  you  intend  to  visit  il^uebec,  you  must 
not  fail  to  see  the  Falls  of  Montmorency,  only  a  few 

miles  from  the  city I  know  you  love  the 

grand  and  beautiful  in  nature,  and  I  am  sure  you  will 
retire  from  it,  saying,  with  your  friend, 

"My  fall  heart  expanded,  grew  warm,  and  adored."f 

Must  not  fail  to  see  the  Falls  of  Montmorency,  &c. 
What!  a  Methodist  urged  to  "see  the  falls  of  Mont- 
morency," by  the  most  successful  promoter  of  entire 
sanctification,  of  modern  times!  and  that,  too,  not- 
withstanding the  General  Conference,  "to  guard 
those  who  have  attained  it  from  every  occasion  of 
stumbling,"  urge  them  to  "admit  no  desire  of 
pleasing  the  eye  by  anything  grand  or  beautiful!" 
Is  there  not  an  inconsistency  here? 

But  again,  we  have  already  seen  that  "a  Christian 
is  so  far  perfect  as  not  to  commit  sin;"  that  "this 
is  the  glorious  privilege  of  every  Christian,  though  he 
be  but  a  babe  in  Christ.  But,  that  it  is  only  of  grown 
Christians,  it  can  be  affirmed  they  are  in  such  a  sense 
perfect,  as  to  be  free  from  evil  desires."     But 

"  Quest.    When  does  inward  sanctification  begin  ? 

*  See  Rev.  xiv.  3,  4;  xxi.  10—21;  vii.  13. 
f  Methodism  in  Earnest,  pp.  88,  89. 


ENTIRE   SANCTIFICATION.  383 

"Ans.  In  the  moment  a  man  is  justified  (yet 
sin  remains  in  him,  yea  the  seed  of  all  sin,  till  he  is 
sanctified  throughout.)  From  that  time  a  believer 
gradually  dies  to  sin  and  grows  in  grace. 

"  Q.  Is  this  ordinarily  given  till  a  little  before 
death  ? 

"-4.  It  is  not  to  those  who  expect  it  no  sooner. 

"  Q.  But  may  we  expect  it  sooner  ? 

"J..  Why  not?  For  although  we  grant  (1)  That 
the  generality  of  believers  whom  we  have  hitherto 
known,  were  not  sanctified  till  a  little  before  death; 
(2.)  That  few  of  those  to  whom  St.  Paul  wrote  his 
Epistles,  were  so  at  that  time;  nor  he  himself  at  the 
time  he  wrote  his  former  Epistles;  yet  all  this  does 
not  prove  that  we  may  not  be  so  to-day."*  "God 
may,  with  man's  good  leave,  cut  short  the  work,  in 
whatever  degree  he  pleases,  and  do  the  work  of 
many  years  in  a  moment.  He  does  so  in  many  in- 
stances.f 

"  Q.  How  much  is  allowed  by  our  brethren  who 
difi'er  from  us? 

"^.  They  grant  (1.)  That  every  one  must  be 
entirely  sanctified  in  the  article  of  death.  (2.)  That 
till  then,  a  believer  daily  grows  in  grace,  and  comes 
nearer  and  nearer  to  perfection.  (3)  That  we  ought 
to  be  continually  pressing  after  it,  and  to  exhort  all 
Others  so  to  do. 

"  Q.   What  do  we  allow  them  ? 

"  Jl.  We  grant  (1.)  That  many  of  those  who  have 
died  in  the  faith,  yea,  the  greater  part  of  those  we 
have  known,  were  not  perfected  in  love  till  a  little 
before  their  death.  (2.)  That  the  term  sanctified  is 
continually  applied  by  St.  Paul  to  all  that  were  justi- 
fied. (3.)  That  by  this  term  alone,  he  rarely  if  ever 
means,  saved  from  all  sin.  (4.)  That  consequently 
it  is  not  proper  to  use  it  in  that  sense,  without  adding 

*  Peck's  Lecures  on  Perfection,  page  60. 
f  Doctrinal  Tracts,  page  354. 


ENTIRE   SANCTIFICATION. 

the  words,  wholly^  entirely^  or  the  like.  (5.)  That 
the  inspired  writers  almost  continually  speak  of,  or  to 
those  who  were  justified,  but  rarely  of  or  to  those 
who  were  wholly  sanctified.  (6.)  That  consequently, 
it  behoves  us  to  speak  continually  of  the  state  of  jus- 
tification ;  but  more  rarely,  at  least,  in  full  and 
explicit  terms  concerning  entire  sanctification. 

"  Q.  What  then  is  the  point  where  we  divide? 

"J..  It  is  this:  Should  we  expect  to  be  saved  from 
all  sin  before  the  article  of  death?"* 

Here,  then,  it  is  admitted,  that  believers  generally, 
are  not  entirely  sanctified,  "  until  a  little  before  their 
death."  But,  if  "  God  may,  with  man's  good  leave, 
cut  short  the  work,"  and  sanctify  all  at  once,  it  must 
be  an  enormous  sin  to  withhold  that  leave.  It  fol- 
lows, therefore,  that  all  who  are  not  "  wholly  sancti- 
fied," are  enormous  sinners.  And  this  includes  the 
Apostle  Paul  "  at  the  time  he  wrote  his  former  Epis- 
tles," as  well  as  "those  generally  to  whom  he  wrote," 
and  "the  generality  of  believers"  since,  including 
Messrs.  Wesley,  Watson,  Dr.  Fisk,  the  General  Con- 
ference, &c.  Some  persons  on  seeing  the  extremely 
uncandid  course  of  the  Arminian  writers  we  have 
alluded  to,  have  said,  "  they  were  not  perfect."  This 
is  not  surprising.  But  that  we  should  be  told  by  the 
General  Conference,  not  only  that  they  were  not 
pious,  but  enormous  sinners,  "till  a  little  before 
death,"  is  what  we  did  not  expect.  Our  wonderment 
ceases,  however,  when  we  find  the  Apostle  Paul  in  the 
same  category. 

A  second  attainment  contended  for,  is  one  in  which 
the  believer  not  only  does  not  sin,  but  is  purified 
from  all  tendency  to  sin.  This,  however,  is  short  of 
Adamic  perfection,  inasmuch  as  he  is  still  liable  to 
make  mistakes,  &c.,  on  account  of  unavoidable  igno- 
rance, and  his  unavoidable  infirmities. 

*  Doctrinal  Tracts,  pp.  61,  62. 


ENTIRE   SANCTIFICATION.  885 

'  "  A  Christian,"  says  the  General  Conference,  "  is 
so  far  perfect  as  not  to  commit  sin,  but  it  is  only  of 
grown  Christians  it  can  be  said,  they  are  so  perfect 
as  to  be  free  from  evil  desires  and  evil  tempers. 
Indeed,  whence  should  they  spring?  Out  of  the  heart 
of  man  ?  But  if  the  heart  be  no  longer  evil,  then  evil 
desires  no  longer  proceed  out  of  it,  'for  a  good  tree 
cannot  bring  forth  evil  fruit.'  And  as  they  are 
freed  from  evil  desires,  so  likewise  from  evil  tempers. 
Every  one  of  them  can  say  with  St.  Paul,  '  I  am 
crucified  with  Christ,  nevertheless,  I  live,  yet  not  I, 
but  Christ  liveth  in  me.'"  "He  is  purified  from 
pride,  for  Christ  was  lowly  in  heart.  He  is  pure 
from  evil  desire  and  self-will,  for  Christ  desired  only 
to  do  the  will  of  his  Father.  And  he  is  pure  from 
anger  in  the  common  sense  of  the  word,  for  Christ 

was  meek  and  gentle Thus  doth  Jesus  save 

his  people  from  their  sins,  not  only  from  outward  sins, 
but  from  the  sins  of  their  hearts."* 

Commenting  on  1  John  i.  7 — "The  blood  of  Jesus 
Christ  cleanseth  from  all  sin" — they  say,  "It  cleanseth 
at  the  present  time,  us  living  Christians  from  all  sin. 
If  any  unrighteousness  remain  in  the  soul,  it  is  not 
cleansed  from  all  unrighteousness."  "It  remains, 
then,  that  Christians  are  saved  in  this  world  from  all 
sin,  from  all  unrighteousness ;  that  they  are  now  in 
such  a  sense  perfect  as  not  to  commit  sin,  and  to  be 
freed  from  evil  desires  and  evil  tempers."  "They 
are  freed  from  self-will,  as  desiring  nothing  but  the 
holy  and  perfect  will  of  God,  and  continually  crying 
in  their  inmost  soul,  'Father,  thy  will  be  done.* 
At  all  times  their  souls  are  even  and  calm.  Their 
hearts  are  steadfast  and  immovable.  Their  peace 
flowing  like  as  a  river,  passeth  all  understanding,  and 
they  rejoice  with  joy  unspeakable  and  full  of  glory.""}" 

Again,  in  answer  to  the  question,  "  What  is  it  to 

*  Doctrinal  Tracts,  pp.  296,  297.         f  Ibid.  pp.  298,  299,  300. 
33 


88S  ENTIRE  SANCTIFICATION, 

be  sanctified?"  they  say,  "To  'be  renewed  in  the 
image  of  God  in  righteousness  and  true  holiness. 

"  Q.  What  is  implied  in  being  a  perfect  Chris- 
tian? 

"J..  The  loving  God  with  all  your  heart,  and  mind, 
and  soul.     Deut.  vi.  5. 

"  Q.  Does  this  imply  that  all  inward  sin  is  taken 
away  ? 

"  A.  Undoubtedly :  or  how  can  we  be  saved  from 
all  our  uncleanness  ?"* 

"It  implies  that  we  are  saved  from  all  perverseness 
and  stubbornness  of  our  will,  and  hardness  of  heart ; 
from  every  wrong  desire  and  sinful  temper;  and  that 
we  love  God  with  all  our  heart,  and  our  neighbour  as 
ourselves.  In  a  word,  this  perfection  consists  in  the 
absence  of  all  sin  properly  so  called,  and  in  being 
filled  with  the  fruits  of  righteousness,  humility,  repent- 
ance, faith,  love,  meekness,  patience,  and  whatever 
is  implied  in  Christian  holiness. "f 

"  Christian  perfection,"  says  Mr.  Fletcher,  "is  a 
spiritual  constellation  made  up  of  perfect  repentance, 
perfect  self-denial,  perfect  resignation,  perfect  hope, 
perfect  charity  for  our  visible  enemies,  as  well  as  for 
our  earthly  relations;  and  above  all,  perfect  love  for 
our  invisible  God,  through  the  explicit  knowledge  of 
our  Mediator  Jesus  Christ.  And  as  this  last  star  is 
always  accompanied  by  all  others,  we  frequently  use, 
as  St.  John,  the  phrase,  'perfect  love,'  'instead  of 
the  word  perfection;  understanding  by  it  the  pure 
love  of  God  shed  abroad  in  the  hearts  of  established 
believers  by  the  Holy  Ghost,  which  is  abundantly 
given  them  under  the  fulness  of  Christian  dispensa- 
tion."J 

"This  perfection,"  says  the  Rev.  Mr.  Porter, 
"excludes,  'envy,'  'covetousness,'  'jealousy,'  'emu- 
lation,* 'wrath,'  and  'consequently,  all  misrepresen- 

*  Doctrinal  Tracts,  p.  303.  f  Chiistian's  Manual,  p.  33. 

J  Peck's  Lecture.s,  page  67. 


SlTTIRE   SANCTIFICATION.  887 

tations  of  another's  views,  plans,  or  feelings.  All 
tale-bearing,  tattling,  and  slanderous  insinuations. 
Every  kind  and  degree  of  reference  to  others,  which 
shall  detract  from  their  respectability,  influence,  or 
pleasure.  Indeed,  all  expressions,  actions,  and  sur- 
mises, that  we  would  not  have  arrayed  against  our- 
selves."* 

Does  the  reader  ask.  How  is  it  possible  for  man  in 
his  fallen  and  impaired  condition,  to  make  the  attain- 
ment here  contended  for  ?  Mr.  Wesley,  the  General 
Conference,  &c.,  shall  answer. 

Thus,  in  answer  to  the  question,  "  How  is  Christ 
the  end  of  the  law  for  righteousness,  to  every  one  that 
believeth?"  they  say,  "In  order  to  understand  this, 
you  must  understand  what  law  is  here  spoken  of. 
This  I  apprehend  is,  (1.)  The  Mosaic  law,  the 
whole  Mosaic  dispensation;  which  St.  Paul  continu- 
ally speaks  of  as  one,  though  containing  three  parts, 
the  political,  moral,  and  ceremonial.  (2.)  The  Adamic 
law ;  that  given  to  Adam  in  innocence,  properly  called 
*  the  law  of  works.'  This  is  in  substance  the  same 
with  the  angelic  law,  being  common  to  angels  and 
man.  It  required  that  man  should  use  to  the  glory 
of  God,  all  the  powers  with  which  he  was  created. 
Now,  he  was  created  free  from  any  defect,  either  in 
his  understanding  or  his  affections.  His  body  was 
no  clog  to  the  mind;  it  did  not  hinder  his  apprehend- 
ing all  things  -clearly,  judging  truly  concerning  them, 
and  reasoning  justly,  if  he  reasoned  at  all.  Perhaps 
he  had  no  need  of  reasoning  till  his  corruptible  body 
pressed  down  the  mind,  and  impaired  his  native  fac- 
ulties. Perhaps  till  then  the  mind  saw  every  truth 
that  ofiFered,  as  directly  as  the  eye  now  sees  the  light. 
Consequently,  this  law,  proportioned  to  his  original 
powers,  required  that  he  should  always  think,  always 
speak,  and  always  act  precisely  right  in  every  point 

*  Compendium  of  Methodism,  pp.  2G2,  263. 


B88  ENTIRE   SANCTIFICATION. 

whatever.    He  was  well  able  to  do  so ;  and  God  could 
not  but  require  the  service  he  was  able  to  pay. 

"But  Adam  fell;  and  his  incorruptible  body  be- 
came corruptible:  and  ever  since,  it  is  a  clog  to  the 
soul,  and  hinders  its  operations.  Hence  at  present, 
no  child  of  man  can  at  all  times  apprehend  clearly,  or 
judge  truly.  And  where  either  the  judgment  or  the 
apprehension  is  wrong,  it  is  impossible  to  reason 
justly.  Therefore  it  is  as  natural  for  a  man  to  mis- 
take as  to  breathe ;  and  he  can  no  more  live  without 
the  one  than  without  the  other.  Consequently  no 
man  is  able  to  perform  the  service  which  the  Adamic 
law  requires.  And  as  no  man  is  obliged  to  perform 
it,  God  does  not  require  it  of  any  man.  For  Christ  is 
the  end  of  the  Adamic  as  well  as  the  Mosaic  law." 
"Nor  is  any  man  living  bound  to  observe  the  Adamic 
more  than  the  Mosaic  law."*  "  The  whole  law  under 
which  we  now  are,  is  fulfilled  by  love.  Rom.  xiii.  9, 10. 
Faith  working,  or  animated  by  love,  is  all  that  God 
now  requires  of  man.  He  has  substituted  love  in  the 
room  of  angelic  perfection."  "  It  is  the  end  of  every 
commandment  of  God.  It  is  the  point  aimed  at  by 
the  whole  and  every  part  of  the  Christian  institution. 
The -foundation  is  faith  purifying  the  heart;  the  end 
love,  preserving  a  good  conscience."  "  The  loving 
the  Lord  our  God  with  all  our  heart,  mind,  soul,  and 
strength,  and  the  loving  our  neighbour,  every  man,  as 
ourselves,  as  our  own  souls."f 

Mr.  Wesley,  speaking  of  angels,  says,  "  Though 
their  knowledge  is  limited,  (for  they  are  creatures,) 
though  they  are  ignorant  of  innumerable  things,  yet 
they  are  not  liable  to  mistake.  Their  knowledge  is 
perfect  in  its  kind.  And  as  their  affections  are  all 
constantly  guided  by  their  unerring  understanding, 
so  that  all  their  actions  are  suitable  thereto ;  so  they 

*  "  I  mean,  it  is  not  the  condition  either  of  present  or  future 
salvation." 

t  Doctrinal  Tracts,  pp.  330—333. 


ENTIRE  SANCTIPICATION. 

do  every  moment,  not  their  own  will,  but  the  good, 
and  acceptable  will  of  God.  Therefore  it  is  not  pos- 
sible for  man,  whose  understanding  is  darkened ;  to 
whom  mistake  is  as  natural  as  is  ignorance;  who  can- 
not think  at  all  but  by  the  mediation  of  organs  which 
are  weakened  and  depraved  like  the  other  parts  of  his 
corruptible  body;  it  is  not  possible,  I  say,  for  man  al- 
ways to  think  right,  to  apprehend  things  distinctly, 
and  to  judge  truly  of  them.  In  consequence  hereof, 
his  affections,  depending  on  his  understanding,  are 
variously  disordered.  And  his  words  and  actions  are 
influenced,  more  or  less,  by  the  disorder  both  of  his 
understanding  and  affections.  It  follows,  that  no  man 
while  in  the  body  can  possibly  attain  to  angelic  per- 
fection. 

"  Neither  can  any  man,  while  he  is  in  a  corruptible 
body,  attain  to  Adamic  perfection.  Adam  before  his 
fall  was  undoubtedly  as  pure,  as  free  from  sin,  as  even 
the  holy  angels.  In  like  manner  his  understanding 
was  as  clear  as  theirs,  and  his  affections  as  regular. 
In  virtue  of  this,  as  he  always  judged  right,  so  he  was 
able  always  to  speak  and  act  right.  But  since  man 
rebelled  against  God,  the  case  is  widely  different  with 
him.  He  is  no  longer  able  to  avoid  falling  into  innu- 
merable mistakes:  consequently  he  cannot  always 
avoid  wrong  affections,  neither  can  he  always  think, 
speak,  and  act  right.  Therefore,  man,  in  his  present 
state,  can  no  more  attain  Adamic  than  angelic  per- 
fection."* 

Mr.  Fletcher  says,  "  With  respect  to  the  Adamic 
Christless  law  of  innocence  and  paradisiacal  perfec- 
tion, we  utterly  renounce  the  doctrine  of  sinless  per- 
fection for  three  reasons.  We  are  conceived  and  born 
in  a  state  of  sinful  degeneracy,  whereby  that  law  is 
already  virtually  broken.  Our  mental  and  bodily 
powers  are  so  enfeebled,  that  we  cannot  help  actually 

*  Sermon  on  Perfection. 

33* 


'390  ENTIRE   SANCTIFICATION. 

breaking  that  law  in  numberless  instances,  even  after 
our  full  conversion.  And,  when  once  we  have  broken 
that  law,  it  considers  us  transgressors  for  ever:  nor 
can  it  any  more  pronounce  us  sinless,  than  the  rigor- 
ous law  which  condemns  a  man  to  be  hanged  for  mur- 
der can  absolve  the  murderer,  let  his  repentance  and 
faith  be  ever  so  perfect. 

"  But  Christ  has  so  completely  fulfilled  our  Crea- 
tor's paradisiacal  law  of  innocence,  which  allows  nei- 
ther of  repentance  nor  of  renewed  obedience,  that  we 
shall  not  be  judged  by  that  law  ;  but  by  a  law  adapted 
to  our  present  state  and  circumstances — a  milder  law, 
called  the  law  of  Christ;  that  is,  the  Mediator's  law, 
which  is  like  himself,  full  of  evangelical  grace  and 
truth." 

"  We  do  not  doubt,  but  as  a  reasonable,  loving 
father  never  requires  of  his  child  who  is  only  ten  years 
old,  the  work  of  one  who  is  thirty  years  of  age,  so  our 
Heavenly  Father  never  expects  of  us  in  our  debili- 
tated state,  the  obedience  of  immortal  Adam  in  para- 
dise, or  the  interrupted  worship  of  sleepless  angels  in 
heaven."* 

But  notwithstanding  we  are  thus  explicitly  told 
what  Christian  perfection  is — that  the  divine  law 
has  been  brought  down  to  the  lapsed  condition  of 
man,  and  that  under  the  law,  thus  lowered,  he  may 
be  entirely  sanctified,  we  will  now  show,  according  to 
Arminians,  that  a  Christian  is  not  *'so  far  perfect  as 
not  to  commit  sin." 

From  Mr.  Wesley,  we  have  the  following,  viz. 

"  Question.   What  is  Christian  perfection  ? 

'■^Answer.  The  loving  God  with  all  our  heart, 
mind,  soul,  and  strength.  This  implies  that  no  wrong 
temper,  none  contrary  to  love,  remains  in  the  soul : 
and  that  all  thoughts,  words  and  actions  are  governed 
by  pure  love. 

*  "Last  Check,"  pp.  330,  331. 


ENTIRE   SANCTIFICATION.  391 

"  Q.  Do  you  afBrm  that  this  perfection  excludes 
all  infirmities,  ignorance  and  mistakes? 

"  A.  I  continually  affirm  the  contrary,  and  always 
have  done  so. 

"  Q.  But  how  can  every  thought,  word,  and  work, 
be  governed  by  pure  love,  and  the  man  be  subject  at 
the  same  time  to  ignorance  and  mistake  ? 

"J..  I  see  no  contradiction  here.  ^A  man  may  be 
filled  with  pure  love,  and  still  be  liable  to  mistake. 
Indeed,  I  do  not  expect  to  be  freed  from  actual  mis- 
take, till  this  mortal  puts  on  immortality.  I  believe 
this  to  be  the  natural  consequence  of  the  soul's  dwell- 
ing in  flesh  and  blood.  For  we  cannot  now  think  at 
all,  but  by  the  mediation  of  those  bodily  organs, 
which  have  suflFered  equally  with  the  rest  of  our 
frame.  And  hence,  we  cannot  avoid  sometimes 
thinking  wrong,  till  this  corruptible  shall  put  on  incor- 
ruption.  A  mistake  in  judgment  may  possibly  occa- 
sion a  mistake  in  practice ; yet  when  every 

word  and  action  springs  from  love,  such  a  mistake  is 
not  properly  a  sin.  However,  it  cannot  bear  the 
rigour  of  God's  justice,  but  needs  atoning  blood. 

"  Q.  What  was  the  judgment  of  all  our  brethren 
■who  met  at  Bristol  in  August,  1758,  on  this  head  ? 

"A.  It  was  expressed  in  these  words:  (1.)  Every 
one  may  mistake  as  long  as  he  lives.  (2.)  A  mistake 
in  opinion  may  occasion  a  mistake  in  practice.  (3.) 
Every  such  mistake  is  a  transgression  of  the  perfect 
law.  Therefore,  (4.)  Every  such  mistake,  were  it  not 
for  the  blood  of  atonement,  would  expose  to  eternal 
damnation.  (5.)  It  follows  that  the  most  perfect  have 
continual  need  of  the  merits  of  Christ,  even  for  their 
actual  transgressions,  and  may  say  for  themselves, 
as  well  as  for  their  brethren,  'Forgive  us  our  tres- 
passes.' 

"  The  best  of  men  still  need  Christ  in  his  priestly 
office,  to  atone  for  their  omissions,  their  shortcomings, 
(as  some  not  improperly  speak,)  their   mistakes    in 


392  ENTIRE   SANCTIFICATION. 

judgment  and  practice,  and  their  defects  of  various 
kinds.  For  these  are  all  deviations  from  the  perfect 
law,  and  consequently,  need  an  atonement."* 

To  this,  we  reply,  "  Sin  is  the  transgression  of  the 
law,"  John  iii.  4,  and  nothing  else  is.  Christ  made 
"his  soul  an  offering  for  sin,"  Isa.  liii.  10,  and  for 
nothing  else.  If,  then,  "  the  best  of  men,  as  long  as 
they  live,"  make  such  mistakes  as  "are  transgres- 
sions of  the  perfect  law,"  such  as  "  would  expose 
(them)  to  eternal  damnation,  were  it  not  for  the  blood 
of  the  atonement,"  then  the  best  of  men  are  sinners. 

We  will  show  next,  that  none  are  sanctified  entirely, 
according  to  the  law  of  love. 

Mr.  Wesley  and  the  General  Conference,  speaking 
of  the  Mosaic  law,  say,  "God  has  established  another 
law  in  its  place,  even  the  law  of  faith,  and  we  are  all 
under  this  law  to  God  and  to  Christ.  Both  our  Crea- 
tor and  Redeemer  require  us  to  observe  it." 

"  Q.  Is  love  the  fulfilling  of  this  law  ? 

"^.  Unquestionably  it  is.  The  whole  law  under 
which  we  now  are,  is  fulfilled  by  love,  Rom.  xiii.  9, 
10.  Faith  working  or  animated  by  love,  is  all  that 
God  now  requires  of  man.  He  has  substituted,  (not 
sincerity,  but)  love  in  the  room  of  angelic  perfec- 
tion. 

"  Q.  How  is  love  the  end  of  the  commandment  ? 
1  Tim.  i.  5. 

"^.  It  is  the  point  aimed  at  by  the  whole  and 
every  part  of  the  Christian  institution.  The  founda- 
tion is  faith,  purifying  the  heart;  the  end,  love,  pre- 
serving a  good  conscience. 

"  Q.  What  love  is  this  ? 

"J..  The  loving  the  Lord  our  God  with  all  our 
heart,  mind,  and  soul,  and  strength,  and  the  loving 
our  neighbour,  every  man,  as  ourselves,  as  our  own 
souls."     '•  But  the  best  of  men  need  Christ  as  their 

*  Doctrinal  Tracts,  pp.  309—312. 


ENTIRE   SANCTIFICATION.  893 

priest,  their  atonement,  their  advocate  with  the 
Father,  not  only  as  the  continuance  of  their  every 
blessing  depends  on  his  death  and  intercession,  but 
on  account  of  their  coming  short  of  the  law  of  love. 
For  every  man  living  does  so.  .  .  . 

"  Q.  But  if  all  this  be  consistent  with  Christian 
perfection,  that  perfection  is  not  freedom  from  all  sin, 
seeing  'sin  is  the  transgression  of  the  law;'  and  the 
perfect  in  love  transgress  the  very  law  they  are  under. 
Besides,  they  need  the  atonement  of  Christ ;  and  he 
is  the  atonement  for  nothing  but  sin.  Is,  then,  the 
term  of  'sinless  perfection'  proper? 

"J..  I  do  not  approve  of  the  expression."* 

Here  it  is  admitted,  that  the  "perfect  in  love" 
transgress  the  law  of  love,  in  consequence  of  which 
they  need  the  atonement  of  Christ,  and  that  the 
term  "sinless  perfection"  is  improper.  But  if  "the 
perfect  in  love"  are  not  perfect  in  love,  that  term  is 
improper  also,  and  so  are  the  terms,  "wholly  sancti- 
fied," "  entirely  sanctified."  So,  then,  Arminians 
after  all,  give  up  "entire  sanctification,"  if  not  as 
unattainable,  as  unattained,  and  so  give  up  the  ques- 
tion. 

Having  shown  that  a  Christian  is  not  so  far  perfect 
as  not  to  commit  sin,  I  will  show  that  neither  is  he 
purified  from  a  tendency  to  sin.  It  is  said,  as  we 
have  seen,  that  he  is  "  entirely  sanctified,  is  free  from 
evil  tempers ;  from  anger  in  the  common  sense  of  the 
word."  But  Paul  and  Barnabas  had  "a  contention 
so  sharp  that  they  departed  asunder  one  from  the 
other."  Acts  xv.  39. 

Is  it  asked  how  the  Arminian  gets  over  this  fact  ? 
Let  us  hear  Dr.  Peck. 

"  Dr.  S.  must  give  me  some  further  light  before 
I  can  conclude  with  any  safety  that  this  sharp 
contention  affords  any  evidence  that  St.  Paul's  mind 

*  Doctrinal  Tracts,  pp.  332—336. 


S^i  ENTIRE   SANCTIFICATION. 

and  affections  had  not  been  in  a  state  of  entire  sanc- 
tification.  I  must  know  either  that  Paul  had  the 
■wrong  side  in  the  quarrel,  and  that  he  took  this  side 
against  good  reason,  or  that  he  prosecuted  the  con- 
troversy in  an  unchristian  spirit.  All  contention  is 
not  sin."* 

Mr.  Wesley  says:  "Would  not  any  one  think,  on 
reading  these  words,  that  they  were  both  equally 
sharp  ?  That  Paul  was  just  as  hot  as  Barnabas,  and 
as  much  wanting  in  love  as  he?  But  the  text  says 
no  such  thing,  as  will  be  plain,  if  we  consider  first 
the  occasion.  When  St.  Paul  proposed  that  they 
should  '  again  visit  the  brethren  in  every  city  where 
they  had  preached  the  word;'  so  far  they  were 
agreed.  '  And  Barnabas  determined  to  take  with 
him  John,  because  he  was  his  sister's  son,'  without 
receiving  or  asking  Paul's  advice.  'But  Paul  thought 
not  good  to  take  him  with  them,  who  liad  departed 
from  them  from  Pamphilia,'  (whether  through  sloth 
or  cowardice,)  'and  went  not  with  them  to  the  work.' 
And  undoubtedly,  he  thought  right;  he  had  reason 
on  his  side.  The  following  words  are,  kai  egeneto 
paroxusmos ;  literally,  'And  there  was  a  fit  of 
anger."  It  does  not  say  in  St.  Paul,  probably  it  was 
in  Barnabas  alone,  who  thus  supplied  the  want  of 
reason  with  passion,  so  that  they  'parted  asunder.' 
And  Barnabas  resolved  to  have  his  own  way,  did  as 
his  nephew  had  done  before,  departed  from  the  work, 
took  Mark  with  him,  and  sailed  to  Cyprus.  But 
Paul  went  on  to  his  work,  being  recommended  by  the 
brethren  to  the  grace  of  God,  (which  Barnabas  seems 
to  have  staid  for.)  'And  he  went  through  Syria  and 
Cilicia,  confirming  the  churches.' 

"From  the  whole  account  it  does  not  appear  that 
St.  Paul  was  in  any  fault:  that  he  either  felt  any  tem- 
per, or  spoke  any  word  contrary  to  the  law  of  love. 

*  Lectures  on  Perfection,  pp.  397,  398. 


ENTIRE  SANCTIFICATION.  896 

Therefore,  not  being  in  any  fault,  he  does  not  need 
any  excuse."* 

It  is  a  very  common  remark,  that  what  a  man  de- 
sires to  believe,  he  is  very  apt  to  bring  himself  to 
believe.  Accordingly  as  Mr.  Wesley  very  earnestly 
desired  to  make  it  appear  that  Paul  was  entirely  sanc- 
tified, he  says,  '''' Probably  the  fit  of  anger  was  in 
Barnabas  alone;"  then  that  "it  does  not  appear 
that  St.  Paul  felt  any  temper,  or  spoke  any  word  con- 
trary to  the  law  of  love;  and  then,  that  he  was  "not 
in  any  fault,"  so  that  what  was  at  first  probable  only, 
in  a  few  sentences  is  clear  of  all  doubt. 

With  all  due  deference  to  the  scholarship  of  Mr. 
Wesley,  who  was  "  sometime  fellow  of  Lincoln  Col- 
lege, Oxford,"  we  think  the  translators  of  the  Bible 
translated  this  passage  as  the  sense  required.  The 
whole  connection  shows  that  Paul  was  "probably" 
about  as  angry  as  Barnabas;  for  it  is  immediately 
added,  "they  departed  asunder,  one  from  the  other." 
Now  is  it  probable  they  would  do  this  without  sharp 
words?  If  the  anger  was  on  the  part  of  Barnabas 
only,  is  it  not  most  likely  Luke  would  have  informed 
us  that  "  he  only  got  angry  and  left  Paul,"  instead  of 
saying  "there  was  a  fit  of  anger  and  they  departed 
asunder."  But  if  Paul  was  angry,  either  he  was  not 
"wholly  sanctified,"  as  it  is  said  he  was  not  "when 
be  wrote  his  former  epistles,"  or  his  heart  was  not 
purified  "from  anger."  But  admitting  that  Messrs. 
Wesley  and  Peck,  and  the  General  Conference  get 
Paul  over  the  difficulty,  what  becomes  of  Barnabas? 
That  he  indulged  in  sinful  anger  and  in  sinful  acts,  is 
not  disputed.  As  then  "a  Christian  is  so  far  perfect 
as  not  to  commit  sin,"  and  any  wilful  sin  blots  reli- 
gion out  of  the  heart,  either  Barnabas  had  no  religion, 
or  he  fell  from  grace.  The  latter  is  the  Arminian 
view.     Accordingly,  Mr.  Wesley  supplies  what  was 

*  Sermon  on  Charity. 


896  ENTIRE   SANCTIFICATION. 

omitted  by  Luke,  and  tells  us  he  "  did  as  his  nephew 
had  done  before,  departed  from  the  work,"  of  which 
there  is  not  a  particle  of  evidence.  All  that  is  said, 
is,  that  "  Barnabas  took  Mark  and  sailed  unto  Cy- 
prus." Acts  XV.  39.  That  he  relinquished  the  minis- 
try, is  affirmed  by  Mr.  Wesley  only.  But,  if  he,  who 
is  "  entirely  sanctified,  is  free  from  anger  in  the  com- 
mon sense  of  the  word,"  what  becomes  of  Mr.  Wes- 
ley? Does  he  not  tell  us  that  when  his  brother 
Charles  began  to  laugh,  he  (Mr.  Wesley)  "  began  to 
be  very  angry  f*  Now,  as  "  the  disciple  is  not  above 
his  master,"  we  have  never  known  a  disciple  of  Mr. 
Wesley,  who,  in  reference  to  anger,  seemed  to  be 
otherwise  than  "  as  his  master." 

Having  noticed  two  of  the  attainments  in  holiness 
contended  for,  and  the  inconsistencies  and  absurdities 
connected  with  them,  we  proceed  to  a  third,  viz. 
Adamic  holiness.  This,  the  reader  will  remember, 
has  been  given  up  as  unattainable.  Now,  however,  he 
will  find  that  there  is  no  piety  short  of  it.  Thus  says 
the  General  Conference:  "In  the  work  of  sanctifica- 
tion  there  is  such  a  change  wrought  in  all  the  affec- 
tions and  tempers  of  the  mind,  as  to  do  away  every 
root  of  bitterness,  every  evil  propensity."f 

Mr.  Wesley  says :  "  By  salvation  I  mean,  not  barely 
according  to  the  vulgar  notion,  deliverarce  from  hell, 
or  going  to  heaven ;  but  a  present  deliverance  from 
sin:  a  restoration  of  the  soul  to  its  primitive  health, 
its  original  purity. "| 

Rev.  N.  L.  Bangs  says,  "  When  a  sinner  is  regene- 
rated and  justified,  his  depravity  is  not  changed,  nor 
subjugated  ...  it  must  be  totally  destroyed.  In  the 
destruction  of  carnality,  the  soul  which  was  con- 
taminated with  sin,  is  washed  and  saved."§ 

The  Rev.  R.  Watson  says,  "  Regeneration  is  a  con- 

*  Works,  Vol.  III.  p.  183.         f  Christian's  Manual,  p.  96. 

X  Works,  Vol  V.  p.  96.  \  Reformer  Reformed,  pp.  134,  135. 


ENTIRE   SANCTIFICATION.  397 

comitant  of  justification:  but  the  Apostles,  in  address- 
ing the  body  of  believers  in  the  churches  to  whom 
they  wrote  their  Epistles,  set  before  them,  both  in  the 
prayers  they  oifer  in  their  behalf,  and  in  the  exhorta- 
tions they  administer,  a  still  higher  degree  of  deliver- 
ance from  sin,  as  well  as  a  higher  growth  in  Christian 
virtues."  "To  prove  this,"  he  quotes  and  comments 
on  1  Thess.  v.  23,  2  Cor.  vii.  1,  and  then  says,  "By 
which  can  only  be  meant  our  complete  deliverance 
from  all  spiritual  pollution — all  inward  depravation  of 
heart,  as  well  as  that  which,  expressing  itself  out- 
wardly by  the  indulgence  of  the  senses,  is  called  fil- 
thiness  of  the  flesh."* 

The  Rev.  Mr.  TrefFry  says,  "  Perfection  has  a  two- 
fold character.  There  is  a  perfection  of  parts,  and  a 
perfection  of  degrees.  A  thing  is  perfect  in  the 
former  sense,  when  it  possesses  all  the  properties  or 
qualities  which  are  essential  to  its  nature,  without 
any  deficiency  or  redundancy.  Thus  a  machine  is 
perfect  when  it  has  all  its  parts,  and  these  parts  so 
admirably  disposed  as  completely  to  answer  the  pur- 
pose for  which  it  was  formed.  Thus  a  human  body 
is  perfect  when  it  has  all  the  limbs,  muscles,  arteries, 
veins,  &c.,  that  belong  to  the  human  body.  And  thus 
I  conceive  every  Christian  believer  is  perfect,  as  he  is 
endowed  with  all  the  graces  of  the  Spirit,  and  the 
fruits  of  righteousness,  which  are  by  Jesus  Christ  to 

the  glory  and  praise  of  God In  religion, 

indeed,  the  imagination  cannot  picture  any  additional 
virtue,  nor  the  mind  conceive  of  any  new  grace  to  be 
added  to  the  Christian  character.  The  feeblest  saint 
is  as  perfect  in  this  sense,  as  the  most  established 
Christian,  and  the  babe  as  complete  as  the  man.  And 
I  greatly  question,  whether  the  glorified  spirits  in 
heaven  are  more  perfect  than  the  saints  upon  earth."f 

*  Theological  Institutes,  Part  II.  Chap.  xxix. 

f  Peck's  Lectures  on  Christian  Perfection,  page  75. 

34 


398  ENTIRE   SANCTinCATION. 

Dr.  Adam  Clarke  says:  "This  perfection  is  the 
-restoration  of  man  to  the  state  of  holiness  from  which 
he  fell,  by  creating  him  anew  in  Christ  Jesus,  and 
restoring  to  him  that  image  and  likeness  of  God 
■which  he  lost.  A  higher  meaning  it  cannot  have,  a 
lower  meaning  it  must  not  have.  Many  stagger  at 
the  term  peofection  in  Christianity ;  because  they 
think  that  what  is  implied  in  it,  is  inconsistent  with  a 
state  of  probation,  and  savours  of  pride  and  pre- 
sumption. But  we  must  take  good  heed  how  we 
stagger  at  any  word  of  God.  Q'he  whole  design  of 
God  was  to  restore  man  to  his  image,  and  raise  him 
from  the  ruins  of  the  fall.  In  a  word,  to  make  him 
perfect;  to  blot  out  all  his  sins,  purify  his  soul,  and 
fill  him  with  holiness;  so  that  no  unholy  temper,  evil 
desire,  or  impure  affection  or  passion,  shall  either 
lodge  or  have  any  being  within  him.     This,  and  this 

only,  is  true  religion  or  Christian  perfection 

They  who  ridicule  this,  are  scoffers  at  the  word  of 
God.  They  who  deny  it,  deny  the  whole  scope  and 
design  of  the  mission  of  Jesus  Christ.  And  they  who 
preach  the  opposite  doctrine,  are  either  speculative 
Antinomians  or  pleaders  for  Baal."* 

If  then  "in  the  work  of  sanctification,  there  is  such 
a  change  wrought  in  all  the  affections  and  tempeis  of 
the  mind,  so  as  to  do  away  every  root  of  bitterness, 
and  every  evil  propensity:"  if  it  "is  the  restoration 
of  man  to  the  state  of  holiness  from  which  he  fell — a 
restoration  of  the  soul  to  its  primitive  health,  to  its 
original  purity" — a  "complete  deliverance  from  all 
spiritual  pollution;  all  inward  depravation  of  heart, 
as  well  as  that  which,  expressing  itself  outwardly,  by 
indulgence  of  the  senses,  is  called  filthiness  of  the 
flesh,"  so  that  "the  imagination  cannot  picture  any 
additional  virtue,  nor  the  mind  conceive  of  any  new 
grace  to  be  added  to  the  Christian  character,"  our 

*  Peck's  Lectures  on  Perfection,  pp.  70 — 72. 


ENTIRE    SANCTIFICATION.  399 

first  parents  were  not  more  entirely  free  from  sin,  or 
more  truly  elevated. 

This,  it  is  true,  is  widely  different  from  what  has 
been  already  conceded,  but  it  will  be  remembered 
that  all  along,  what  is  conceded  at  one  time,  is  main- 
tained at  another,  and  that  Arminianism,  like  the 
iEolian  harp,  varies  its  tone  according  to  the  blowing 
of  the  wind. 

The  fifth  and  highest  attainment  contended  for,  is 
supra-angelic  holiness. 

Thus  says  Mr.  Wesley,  "  Mankind  in  general,  have 
gained  by  the  fall  of  Adam  a  capacity  of  attaining 
more  holiness  and  happiness  on  earth  than  it  would 
have  been  possible  for  them  to  attain  if  Adam  had 
not  fallen."  And  "as  the  more  holy  we  are  upon 
earth,  the  more  happy  we  must  be,  seeing  there  is  an 
inseparable  connection  between  holiness  and  happi- 
ness; .  .  .  therefore  the  fall  of  Adam  by  giving  us 
an  opportunity  of  being  far  more  holy,"  "how  little 
reason  have  we  to  repine  at  the  fall  of  our  first 
parent,  since  herefrom  we  may  derive  such  unspeak- 
able advantages,  both  in  time  and  in  eternity."* 

If  then,  man,  who,  as  originally  created,  was  but 
"a  little  lower  than  the  angels,"  Heb.  ii.  7,  "may 
derive  from  the  fall  of  Adam  unspeakable  advantages, 
both  in  time  and  in  eternity,"  "  having  gained  there- 
by a  capacity  and  an  opportunity  of  being  far  more 
holy  on  earth  than  would  have  been  otherwise  possi- 
ble;" he  may  outstrip  the  angels. 

The  devil  told  our  first  parents,  that  by  eating  the 
forbidden  fruit,  they  would  make  a  most  happy 
advancement.  This,  it  is  true,  the  Bible  tells  us  was 
a  lie ;  but  it  would  seem  that  the  Bible  even,  must 
give  way  before  the  illumination  of  Mr.  Wesley,  and 
that  the  fruit  of  the  tree  of  knowledge  of  good  and 
evil,  was  after  all,  "to  be  desired  to  make  us  wise, 

*  Scrinou  ou  God's  Love  to  Fallen  Man. 


400  ENTIRE   SANCTIFICATION. 

and  holj,  and  happy."  Here,  then,  to  snm  up  the 
"vvhole,  we  have  it  contended,  first,  that  all  Christians 
are  so  far  perfect  as  to  be  free  from  actual  sin.  This, 
however,  has  been  shown  to  be  a  state  of  very  great 
sin,  inasmuch  as  nothing  but  the  want  of  "man's  good 
leave"  prevents  God  from  advancing  all,  and  at  once, 
to  a  much  higher  state.  We  have  it  contended,  2.  That 
by  the  fall  of  our  first  parents,  man  was  rendered 
incapable  of  Adamic  perfection,  and  being  incapaci- 
tated for  that  attainment,  it  is  not  required  of  him, 
but  that  the  Adamic  and  Mosaic  laws  have  been 
brought  down  to  his  fallen  capacity,  so  that  he  may, 
and  often  does  attain,  long  before  he  dies,  to  Adamic 
holiness  of  heart,  though  not  to  Adamic  clearness  of 
intellect.  Here,  however,  they  maintain  first,  that 
this  attainment  is  not  made  by  Christians  generally, 
until  a  little  "before  the  article  of  death."  And  yet, 
secondly,  that  it  is  essential  to  piety,  so  that  he  who 
has  not  attained  it,  is  not  pious.  Or,  as  Mr.  Wesley 
expresses  it,  "  All  faith  that  is,  that  ever  was,  or 
ever  can  be,  separate  from  tender  benevolence  to 
every  child  of  man,  friend  or  foe,  Christian,  Jew, 
Heretic,  or  Pagan;  separate  from  gentleness  to  all 
men ;  separate  from  resignation  in  all  events,  and 
contentedness  in  all  conditions,  is  not  the  faith  of  a 
Christian,  and  will  stand  us  in  no  stead  before  the 
face  of  God;"  "that  let  us  have  ever  so  much  faith, 
and  be  our  faith  ever  so  strong,  it  will  never  save  us 
from  hell,  unless  it  now  save  us  from  all  unholy  tem- 
pers;  from  pride,  passion,  impatience;  from  all  arro- 
gance of  spirit,  all  haughtiness,  and  overbearing;  from 
wrath,  anger;  from  discontent,  murmuring,  fretful- 
ness,  peevishness."* 

In  reply  to  this,  we  have  shown  it  to  be  admitted, 
that  "the  most  perfect  have  continual  need  of  the 
merits  of  Christ  for  their  actual  transgressions;"  that 
"  the  best  of  men  need  Christ  as  their  priest,  their 

*  Sermon  on  Charity. 


ENTIRE   SANCTIFICATION.  401 

atonement,  their  advocate  with  the  Father,  on  account 
of  their  coming  short  of  the  law  of  love,  for  every 
man  does  so." 

It  is  maintained,  thirdly,  that  there  can  he  no  piety 
short  of  Adamic  perfection  ;  and  fourthly,  that  by  the 
fall  of  man  his  capacity  has  been  so  enlarged,  and 
his  opportunities  so  improved,  that  in  this  life  he  may 
attain  to  supra-angelic  holiness.  It  is  not  wonderful, 
therefore,  that  the  student  of  polemic  theology  finds  it 
difficult  to  ascertain  the  sentiments  of  Arminians  in 
reference  to  the  question  under  review.  The  distinct 
and  regular  opinions  in  which  they  agree,  are  four, 
which,  with  the  subdivisions,  amount  to  seven.  About 
as  many  opinions,  surely,  as  any  Church  can  main- 
tain on  any  question. 

But,  again,  if  it  be  true,  as  is  contended,  that  the  law 
has  been  lowered,  and  if  it  be  true,  that  man  has  rea- 
son "  to  bless  God  for  having  permitted  the  fall  of 
man,"  "he  having  gained  thereby  a  capacity  and  an 
opportunity  of  attaining /ar  more  holiness  and  happi- 
ness on  earth  than  it  would  have  been  possible  for 
him  otherwise  to  attain,"  then  we  have  the  absurdity 
of  a  law  lowered  to  meet  the  wants  of  an  enlarged 
capacity. 

Finally,  if,  as  it  is  maintained,  God,  in  mercy  to 
mankind,  has  abolished  that  rigorous  law  under  which 
we  were  originally,  and  has  introduced  a  new  and 
milder  law,  which,  in  compliance  with  our  weaknesses 
since  the  fall,  requires  no  more  than  imperfect  sin- 
cere obedience,  then  it  follows, 

1.  That  we  are  not  obligated  by  the  requirements 
and  prohibitions  of  the  original  law.     And, 

2.  That  nothing  we  do  or  omit,  is  a  violation  of 
that  law.  For  if  we  are  not  under  it,  we  are  not 
obligated  by  it,  and  so,  in  the  nature  of  the  case,  can- 
not transgress  it.  But,  if  this  be  true,  and  if  it  can 
be  shown  that  we  are  under  a  law  of  love  only,  then 
it  follows  that  there  is  no  penalty  attached  to  any 


402  ENTIRE   SANCTIFICATION. 

transgression^  nor  is  there  any  law  under  which  any 
one  can  be  sent  to  hell,  or  punished  even.  Of  course, 
then,  punishment,  that  great  barrier  to  sin,  has  been 
taken  away.  But,  if  this  has  been  taken  away  by  the 
interposition  of  Christ,  then  Christ  becomes  the  min- 
ister of  sin.  But  this  is  Antinomianism.  "  Antino- 
mians,"  says  the  Rev.  R.  Watson,  "are  those  who 
maintain  that  the  law  is  of  no  use  under  the  gospel, 
or  who  hold  doctrines  that  clearly  supersede  the  ne- 
cessity of  a  virtuous  life."*  Here,  then,  we  have  the 
sheerest  Antinomianism  in  the  Methodist  Church. 
Whether  the  demoralizing  tendency  stated  by  Mr. 
Watson,  has  followed  it  there,  can  be  judged  of  by 
the  account  of  the  state  of  morals  in  that  Church, 
as  given  by  Methodists  themselves.f  A  "check," 
therefore,  to  this  Antinomianism,  is  loudly  ca-lled  for. 
This  brings  up  the  Calvinistic  or  scriptural  view  of 
the  doctrine  under  consideration. 

Calvinists  think  there  never  was  an  adult,  rational 
human  being  since  the  fall,  who,  at  the  close  of  any 
day,  could  come  to  the  honest  conclusion,  that  his 
thoughts  and  words,  and  acts  throughout  the  day,  had 
been,  in  all  respects,  just  as  they  ought  to  have  be^n, 
and  might  have  been;  and  that  he  had  so  fully  dis- 
charged his  whole  duty,  in  all  things,  as  he  ought  to 
have  done,  and  might  have  done;  that  he  had  no  omis- 
sions to  deplore  nor  transgressions  for  which  to  ask 
forgiveness.  They  think  further,  that  the  corruption 
which  remains  in  the  best  of  men  while  they  live, 
taints  all  they  do.  With  the  great  Calvin,  they 
"strenuously  insist  that  there  never  was  an  action 
performed  by  a  pious  man,  which,  if  examined  by  the 
scrutinizing  eye  of  divine  justice,  would  not  deserve 
condemnation."!  The  conclusion  to  which  a  very 
careful  examination  has  brought  them,  is  that,  "  As 

*  Theological  Dictionary,  term  Antinornian.         f  See  Chap.  xii. 
%  Institutes,  Book  III.  Chap.  xi. 


ENTIRE   SANCTinCATION.  408 

there  ia  no  man  that  sinneth  not,"  1  Kings  viii.  46, 
"  there  is  not  a  just  man  upon  earth  that  doeth  good 
and  sinneth  not,"  Eccl.  vii.  20.  And  therefore,  that 
"  if  we  say  we  have  no  sin,  we  deceive  ourselves," 
1  John  i.  H.  Hence,  in  answer  to  the  question,  "  Is 
any  man  able  perfectly  to  keep  the  commandments  of 
God  ?"  they  say,  "  No  mere  man  since  the  fall,  is  able, 
in  this  life,  perectly  to  keep  the  commandments  of 
God ;  but  doth  daily  break  them  in  thought,  word, 
and  deed."* 

Strange  as  it  may  appear,  this  too  is  one  of  the 
doctrines  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal  Church.  Speak- 
ing of  good  works,  the  General  Conference  say, 
*'  Although  good  works,  which  are  the  fruits  of  faith, 
and  follow  after  justification,  cannot  put  away  sins, 
and  endure  the  severity  of  God's  judgments  ;  yet  are 
they  pleasing  and  acceptable  to  God  in  Christ,  (fcc.""}" 

Here,  then,  we  are  told  by  the  highest  authority 
in  the  Church,  that  our  "good  works  cannot  endure 
the  severity  of  God's  judgments."    This  is  Calvinism. 

"We  suppose,"  says  the  Rev.  N.  L.  Bangs,  "that 
in  consequence  of  our  apostacy,  the  fatal  effects 
of  which  are  more  or  less  felt  by  the  best  of  men 
while  they  live,  no  man,  in  the  present  life,  perfectly 
fulfils  the  precepts  of  the  law,  for  if  he  did,  he 
would  no  longer  need  the  atoning  merits  of  Christ." 
This,  too,  is  Calvinism. 

As  to  the  idea  that  the  law  has  been  brought  down 
to  man's  fallen  capacity,  if  this  be  so,  we  ask  how 
does  it  happen  that  we  have  the  capacity  of  man  so 
enlarged  that  he  can  attain  to  supra-angelic  holi- 
ness? 

If,  again,  "  Christ  is  the  end  of  the  Adamic  as  well 
as  of  the  Mosaic  law,"  so  that  "no  man  living  ia 
bound  to  observe  the  Adamic  more  than  the  Mosaic 
law,"  how  does  it  happen  that  Arminians  quote  the 

*  Shorter  Catechism,  Question  82. 

f  Articles  and  Discipline  of  the  M.  E.  Church.     Article  X. 


404  ENTIRE   SANCTIFICATION. 

precepts    of  the    Old   Testament,    as   if  they   were 
binding? 

That  the  ceremonial  laws  are  not  binding,  we 
learn, 

1.  From  expressed  declarations  of  Scripture.  See 
Col.  ii.  14-17;   Eph.  ii.  15,  16. 

2.  From  the  fact,  that  although  they  are  often 
quoted  and  referred  to  by  the  writers  of  the  New 
Testament,  they  are  never  quoted  or  referred  to  as 
obligatory  after  the  death  of  Christ. 

That  there  has  been  no  lowering  of  the  moral  law, 
we  infer, 

1.  From  the  fact  that  the  teachings  of  the  Old 
Testament  are  constantly  quoted  in  the  New  Testa- 
ment as  obligatory.  Every  one  of  the  ten  command- 
ments is  so  quoted,  or  referred  to. 

2.  From  express  declarations  of  Scripture.  Thus 
says  our  Saviour,  "  Think  not  that  I  ^am  come  to 
destroy  the  law  or  the  prophets :  I  am  not  come  to 
destroy  but  to  fulfil."  Matt.  v.  17.  "It  is  easier  for 
heaven  and  earth  to  pass,  than  for  one  tittle  of  the 
law  to  fail."  Luke  xvi.  17.  Whosoever,  therefore, 
shall  break  one  of  these  least  commandments,  and 
teach  men  so,  shall  be  called  the  least  in  the  kingdom 
of  heaven:  but  whosoever  shall  do  and  teach  them, 
shall  be  called  great  in  the  kingdom  of  heaven." 
Matt.  V.  19.  "  All  things  whatsoever  ye  would  that 
men  should  do  unto  you,  do  ye  even  so  to  them,  for  this 
is  the  law  and  the  prophets."  Matt.  vii.  12.  "Thou 
shalt  love  the  Lord  thy  God  with  all  thy  heart,  and 
with  all  thy  soul,  and  with  all  thy  mind.  This  is 
the  first  and  great  commandment:  and  the  second  is 
like  unto  it.  Thou  shalt  love  thy  neighbour  as  thy- 
self. On  these  two  commandments  hang  all  the  law 
and  the  prophets."  Matt.  xxii.  37 — 40;  xix.  16; 
Rom.  xiii.  8 — 10. 

Here,  then,  we  are  expressly  told,  not  only  that 
the  old  law  is  still  in  force,  but  that  upon  "the  law 


ENTIRE  SANCTIFICATIOIT.  405 

of  love,  hang  all  the  law  and  the  prophets."*  It  is 
true  that  "  Christ  hath  redeemed  us  from  the  curse 
of  the  law,  by  being  made  a  curse  for  us."  Gal.  iii.  13. 
But  it  no  more  follows,  that  we  are  thereby  released 
from  future  obedience  to  the  law,  than  that  a  pardon 
releases  a  criminal  from  future  obedience  to  the  laws 
of  the  land. 

3.  From  the  teachings  of  the  Arminians  themselves. 
Mr.  Wesley,  in  a  brief  notice  of  Luther's  comment 
on  the  Epistle  to  the  Galatians,  says:  "How  blasphe- 
mously does  he  speak  of  the  law  of  God,  constantly 
coupling  the  law  with  sin,  death,  hell,  or  the  devil. 
Whereas,  it  can  no  more  be  proved  by  Scripture,  that 
Christ  delivers  us  from  the  law  of  God,  than  that  he 
delivers  us  from  holiness,  or  from  heaven.  Here,  I 
apprehend,  is  the  real  spring  of  the  grand  error  of 
the  Moravians.  They  follow  Luther  for  better,  for 
worse.  Hence  their  'No  works,  no  law,  no  com- 
mandment.' But  who  art  thou  that  speakest  evil  of 
the  law,  and  judgest  the  law  ?"t 

The  General  Conference  says,  "  The  moral  law, 
having  for  its  basis  the  moral  perfections  of  the  Di- 
vine Being,  is  eternal,  not  only  in  its  duration,  but 
also  in  its  obligations.  Hence,  it  has  a  commanding 
power  and  authority  over  the  human  race,  even  while 
in  a  natural  state.  Its  demands  are  strict  and  severe, 
yet  equitable.  It  requires  perfect  and  perpetual  obe- 
dience in  thought,  word,  and  deed,  and  never  relaxes 
in  its  requisitions,  so  as  to  make  allowance  for  infirmi- 
ties or  mistakes.  Its  denunciations  are  terrible,  pro- 
nouncing those  accursed,  who  in  the  least  degree  diso- 
bey its  absolute  commands,  and  dooming  them  to 
death  and  everlasting  destruction.  But  all  mankind 
have  broken  this  law.  'For  all  have  sinned  and 
come  short  of  the  glory  of  God;'  therefore,  they  are 

*  See  alt-o  Rom.  iii.  10,  31 ;  vi.  15:  xiii.  8,  'J;  1  Johu  ii.  3. 
f  Watson's  Life  of  Wesley,  page  208. 


406  ENTIRE   SANCTIFICATION. 

unavoidably  exposed  to  its  dreadful  threatenings,  and 
all  the  curses  it  pronounces  are  suspended  over  their 
guilty  heads."* 

Rev.  R.  Watson  says,  "  All  are  born  under  the 
whole  malediction"  of  the  Adamic  law.  But  how  can 
this  be  possible,  if  that  law  is  either  lowered  or  abro- 
gated? 

Again,  he  says,  "  The  law  under  which  all  moral 
agents  are  placed,  there  is  reason  to  believe,  is  sub- 
stantially, and  in  its  great  principles,  the  same,  and 
is  included  in  this  epitome,  'Thou  shalt  love  the 
Lord  thy  God  with  all  thy  heart,  and  with  all  thy 
soul,  and  with  all  thy  strength,  and  with  all  thy 
mind,  and  thy  neighbour  as  thyself — for  though  this 
is  spoken  to  men,  yet  as  it  is  founded  in  both  its 
parts,  upon  the  natural  relation  of  every  intelligent 
creature  to  God,  and  to  all  other  intelligent  creatures, 
it  may  be  presumed  to  be  universal."  "Its  compre- 
hensiveness is  another  presumption  of  its  univer- 
sality ;  for  unquestionably,  it  is  a  maxim  of  universal 
import,  that  'love  is  the  fulfilling  of  the  law,'  since 
he  Avho  loves  must  choose  to  be  obedient  to  every 
command  issued  by  the  sovereign,  or  the  Father  be- 
loved ;  and  when  this  love  is  supreme  and  uniform 

the  obedience  must  be  absolute  and  unceasing 

Indeed,  if  rational  beings  are  under  a  law  at  all,  it 
cannot  be  conceived  that  less  than  this  could  be  re- 
quired by  the  good  and  holy  being  the  Creator 

From  these  views  it  follows  that  all  particular  pre- 
cepts, whether  they  relate  to  God  or  to  other  rational 
creatures,  arise  out  of  one  or  other  of  these  two 
'great'  and  comprehending  'commandments;'  and 
that  every  particular  law  supposes  the  general  one. 
For  in  the  Decalogue  and  the  writings  of  the  prophets, 
are  many  particular  precepts,  though  in  neither  are 
these   two  great  commandments  expressly  recorded. 

*  Germs  of  Thought,  page  102. 


ENTIRE   SANCTIFICATION.  407 

And  yet,  our  Saviour  has  told  us,  that  'on  these 
two  commandments  ha7ig  all  the  law  and  the  pro- 
phets.' "* 

"Christ,"  says  the  General  Conference,  "has 
adopted  every  point  of  the  moral  law,  and  engrafted 
it  into  the  law  of  love."t 

So,  then,  after  a  long  voyage,  we  have  got  back  to 
the  Bible,  and  to  Calvinism,  from  which  we  most 
grievously  departed. 

Having  quoted  several  times  the  Arminian  rule  on 
the  subject  of  marriage,  we  will  make  a  few  remarks 
in  reference  to  it. 

According  to  that  rule,  it  is  a  sin  for  a  pious  per- 
son to  marry  one  who  is  not  pious,  or  at  least  seeking 
to  be  so.  The  Apostle  Paul,  addressing  believers, 
says,  "Be  ye  not  unequally  yoked  together  with  un- 
believers." 2  Cor.  vi.  14.  For  this  prohibition  he 
assigns  the  reason,  by  asking,  "  What  fellowship  hath 
righteousness  with  unrighteousnes?  What  commu- 
nion hath  light  with  darkness?  What  concord  hath 
Christ  with  Belial  ?  Or  what  part  hath  he  that  believeth 
with  an  infidel?"  Ibid,  verse  15.  Now  as  a  pious 
Israelite  was  not  prohibited  from  marrying  an  Israelite 
who  was  not  pious,  though  he  was  forbidden  to  many 
an  idolater,  we  think  Paul  did  not  intend  to  teach 
that  a  pious  person  may  not  marry  one  who  is  moral, 
and  externally  a  believer,  though  not  pious.  For 
although  there  are  very  many,  who  have  not  been 
"  born  of  the  Spirit,"  and  consequently  are  not  united 
to  Christ  by  a  living  faith,  yet  of  these  very  many  are 
far  from  being  infidels.  The  expressions  "  righteous- 
ness," "light,"  "  Christ,"  and  "believer,"  contrasted 
with  "unrighteousness,"  "darkness,"  "Belial,"  and 
"  infidel,"  show  plainly  to  what  class  of  unbelievers 
Paul  refers.     Hence  we   say  in    our   Confession  of 

*  Tlieological  Institutes,  Part  II.  Chap,  xviii. 
f  Doctrinal  Tracts,  page  35(5. 


408  ENTIRE   SANCTIFICATION. 

Faith,  Chap.  xiv.  Sec.  3,  "  Such  as  profess  the  re- 
formed religion  should  not  marry  with  in6dels,  pa- 
pists, or  other  idolaters.  Neither  should  such  as  are 
godly  be  unequally  yoked  by  marrying  with  such  as 
are  notoriously  wicked  in  their  life,  or  maintain  dam- 
nable heresies."  If  this  is  not  the  proper  interpre- 
tation of  the  word  of  God,  then, 

1.  The  teaching  of  the  New  Testament  is,  in  re- 
ference to  this  particular,  different  from  that  of  the 
Old  Testament. 

2.  Believers,  in  some  places,  could  not  marry  at 
all,  without  violating  the  command  of  God. 

3.  A  large  number  of  the  members  of  the  Methodist 
Church  are  fallen  from  grace. 

There  is  another  subject  also,  already  somewhat 
dwelt  upon,  about  which  we  will  make  one  or  two  re- 
marks before  we  close.  It  is  in  reference  to  Chris- 
tians "resolving  that  none  of  their  happiness  shall 
consist  in  eating  and  drinking,  or  in  any  pleasures  of 
sense;"  "  admitting  no  desire  of  pleasing  food  or  any 
other  pleasure  of  sense ;  no  desire  of  pleasing  the 
eye,  or  the  imagination,  by  anything  grand,  or 
new,  or  beautiful ;  no  desire  of  money,  of  praise,  or 
esteem,  or  of  happiness  in  any  creature."  We  re- 
mark, 

1.  If  it  be  a  sin  to  do  these  things,  then  "  Method- 
ists are  no  better  than  other  people." 

2.  Since  God  has  given  us  our  senses,  and  "giveth 
us  richly  all  things  to  enjoy,"  1  Tim.  vi,  17,  and  pre- 
scribed the  limits  of  our  enjoyment,  1  Cor.  vii.  31, 
"  there  is  nothing  better  than  that  every  man  should 
enjoy  the  good  of  all  his  labour,  for  it  is  the  gift  of 
God."  Eccl   ii.  24;  iii.  13;  v.  18,  19. 

We  have  now  gone  somewhat  hastily  over  the 
points  of  difference  between  Calvinists  and  Arminians, 
and  in  reference  to  the  whole  will  make  two  quota- 
tions. The  first  is  from  an  article  written  by  the  late 
Rev.  Samuel  Miller,  D.  D.,  which  may  be  found  in 


ENTIRE   SANCTIFICATION.  409 

the  Calvinistic  Magazine,  No.  7,  Vol.  I,  and  entitled, 
"Mole-hills  and  Mountains,  or  the  Difficulties  of  Cal- 
vinism and  Arminianism  compared." 

"  You  will,  perhaps,  ask,  are  there  no  difficulties  to 
be  encountered  in  embracing  that  system  of  evangeli- 
cal truth,  which  is  usually  styled  Calvinism?  It 
ought  not  to  be  disguised,  that  there  are  in  this  sys- 
tem real  difficulties,  which,  probably,  no  human  wis- 
dom will  ever  be  able  to  solve.  But  are  the  difficul- 
ties which  belong  to  the  system  of  Arminianism 
Qiithev  fewer  in  number,  or  less  in  magnitude?  Instead 
of  this,  they  are  more  numerous,  and  more  serious; 
more  contradictory  to  reason,  more  inconsistent  with 
the  character  of  God,  and  more  directly  opposed  both 
to  the  letter  and  spirit  of  his  word.  I  rest  in  the 
Calvinistic  system,  with  a  confidence  daily  increasing, 
not  only  because  the  more  I  examine  it,  the  more 
clearly  it  appears  to  me  to  be  taught  in  the  Holy 
Scriptures ;  but  also  because  the  more  frequently  and 
the  more  carefully  I  compare  the  amount  of  the  diffi- 
culties, on  both  sides,  the  more  heavily  they  seem  to 
me  to  press  against  the  Arminian  doctrine. 

"It  is  easy  and  popular  to  object,  that  Calvinism  has 
a  tendency  to  cut  the  nerves  of  all  spiritual  exertion; 
that,  if  we  are  elected,  there  is  no  need  of  exertion ; 
and  if  not  elected,  it  will  be  in  vain.  But  this  objec- 
tion lies  with  quite  as  much  force  against  the  Armi- 
nian hypothesis.  An  Arminian  who  finds  fault  with 
the  doctrine  of  predestination,  as  making  out  God  the 
author  of  sin,  unjust,  tyrannical,  &c.,  how  shall  he 
reconcile  or  clear  the  difficulties  in  his  own  way, 
namely,  to  believe,  as  he  must,  that  the  Deity  has 
created  millions  of  human  beings  knowing,  with  cer- 
tainty, before  he  brought  them  into  existence,  that 
they  would  prove  incorrigible  sinners,  incur  his  divine 
displeasure,  and  that  he  in  consequence  should  con- 
sign them  to  eternal  punishment  in  the  region  of 
misery  and  woe  ?  All  Arminians,  though  they  re- 
35 


410  ENTIRE   SANCTIFICATION. 

jectthe  doctrine  of  election,  explicitly  grant  that  wliile 
some  will,  in  fact,  be  saved,  others  will,  in  fact,  as  cer- 
tainly perish.  Now  it  is  perfectly  plain,  that  this 
position  is  just  as  liable  to  the  abuse  above  stated,  as 
the  Oalvinistic  doctrine 

"  If  I  could  admit  the  dreadful  thought,  that  the 
Christian's  continuance  in  his  journey  heavenwards, 
depends,  not  on  the  immutable  love  and  promise  of 
his  God,  but  on  the  firmness  of  his  own  strength,  and 
the  stability  of  his  own  resolutions ;  and  of  course  that 
he  who  is  the  most  eminent  saint  to-day,  may  become 
a  child  of  wrath,  and  an  heir  of  perdition  to-morrow ; 
in  short,  if  I  could  conceive  of  God  as  working  with- 
out any  providential  design,  and  willing  without  any 
certain  effect;  desiring  to  save  man,  yet  unable  to 
save  him,  and  often  disappointed  in  his  expectations, 
doing  as  much,  and  designing  as  much  for  those  that 
perish,  as  for  those  that  are  saved;  but  after  all  baf- 
fled in  his  wishes  concerning  them.;  hoping  and  de- 
siring great  things,  but  certain  of  nothing,  because  he 
had  determined  on  nothing ;  if  I  could  believe  these 
things,  then,  indeed,  I  should  renounce  Calvinism, 
but  it  would  not  be  to  embrace  the  system  of  Armin- 
ianism.  Alas!  it  would  be  impossible  to  stop  here. 
I  must  consider  the  character  of  God  as  dishonoured ; 
his  counsels  as  degraded  to  a  chaos  of  wishes  and  en- 
deavours; his  promises  as  the  fallible  and  uncertain 
declarations  of  circumscribed  knowledge  and  endless 
doubt;  the  best  hopes  of  the  Christian  as  liable  every 
hour  to  be  blasted;  and  the  whole  plan  of  salvation  as 
nothing  better  than  a  gloomy  system  of  possibilities 
and  peradventures,  a  sys^tem  on  the  whole,  nearly,  if 
not  quite,  as  likely  to  land  the  believer  in  the  abyss 
of  the  damned,  as  in  the  paradise  of  God." 

Our  second  quotation  is  from  the  sermon  of  Dr. 
Humphrey,  at  the  opening  of  the  Old-school  General 
Assembly,  in  1852. 

"It  may  be  thought  that  the  Arminian  divinity,  as 


ENTIRE   SANCTIFICATION.  4ll 

preached  by  John  Wesley,  has  developed  a  type  of 
Christianity  no  less  diffusive  than  our  own.  Now 
•while  we  may  not  conceal  the  profound  conviction 
that  our  own  theology,  even  when  it  differs  from 
Wesley's,  is  the  theology  of  the  Bible,  yet  we  would 
do  all  homage  to  the  vital  truths  which  that  great 
man  adopted,  into  his  system  of  faith,  and  to  the  zeal 
and  success  with  which  he  and  his  disciples  have  pro- 
claimed them.  But  the  progress  of  this  system  raises 
several  questions  of  immense  importance.  One  of 
these  respects  the  peculiar  type  of  piety  which  it 
developes.  On  that  question  I  do  not  propose  to 
enter.  Another  question  touches  the  elements  of  its 
power.  It  might  be  clearly  shown,  as  I  humbly  con- 
ceive, that  its  past  success  is  to  be  referred  not  to 
those  doctrines  which  are  peculiar  to  itself,  but  to 
those  which  are  common  to  both  theologies;  not  to 
its  denials  respecting  election,  efficacious  grace  and 
perseverance;  but  to  its  utterance  concerning  original 
sin,  justification  and  regeneration. 

"A  third  inquiry  relates  to  the  continued  and 
future  efficiency  of  modern  Arminianism.  Is  it  a  per- 
manent redeeming  power  on  earth?  On  this  part  of 
the  case,  I  take  leave,  without  intending  anything 
disrespectful  towards  brethren  of  other  persuasions, 
to  make  a  few  suggestions. 

"It  is  now  only  a  few  years  over  a  century  since 
Wesley  began  his  career.  A  religious  system  matures 
slowly.  The  truths  asserted  may,  for  a  long  period, 
hold  in  check  the  serious  errors  with  which  they  are 
combined.  The  errors,  if  not  eliminated,  will  at  last 
work  out  the  dissolution  of  the  system.  It  may 
indeed  outlast  many  generations,  but  what  are  evea 
ages  to  the  life  of  a  true  permanent  theology  ? 

"It  is  to  be  remembered,  also-,  that  the  Arminian 
scheme  has  yet  to  be  reduced  to  a  systematic  and 
logical  form.  Where  are  its  written  formularies 
pushing  boldly  forth,  to  their  final  and  inevitable  con- 


412  ENTIRE   SANCTIFICATION. 

elusions,  all  its  doctrines  touching  predestination,  free 
will  and  efficacious  grace?  We  have  its  brief  and 
informal  creed  in  some  five  and  twenty  articles ;  but 
where  is  its  complete  confession  of  faith  in  thirty  or 
forty  chapters?  Where  is  its  whole  body  of  divinity 
from  under  the  hand  of  a  master,  sharply  defining  its 
terms,  accurately  stating  its  belief,  laying  down  the 
conclusions  logically  involved  therein,  trying  these 
conclusions  no  less  than  their  premises  by  the  word  of 
God,  refuting  objections,  and  adjusting  all  its  parts 
into  a  consistent  and  systematic  whole?  It  has 
furnished  us  indeed  with  some  detached  negations 
and  philosophical  theories. 

"  We  have,  for  example,  its  flat  denial  of  our  doc- 
trine of  predestination;  but  has  it  to  this  day  met  for 
itself,  the  problem  of  foreknowledge  infinite  by  a 
more  plausible  solution  than  the  celebrated  sophism, 
that  although  God  has  the  capacity  of  foreknowing 
all  things,  he  chooses  to  foreknow  only  some  things? 
We  have  also,  its  notion  of  the  free  will,  wherein  there 
was  supposed  to  be  the  germ  of  a  systematic  Armin- 
ianism ;  but  this  budding  promise  was  long  since 
nipped  by  the  untimely  frost  of  Jonathan  Edwards's 
logic.  It  is  clear  that  an  exposition  of  this  theology 
which  shall  satisfy  logical  consciousness  is  indispensa- 
ble to  its  perpetuity:  otherwise  it  cannot  take  posses- 
sion of  educated  and  disciplined  minds — educated  by 
the  word  and  Spirit  of  God,  and  disciplined  to  exact 
analysis  and  argument:  otherwise,  although  it  may 
exert  a  temporary  influence,  it  will  retire  before 
advancing  spiritual  and  intellectual  culture.  It  is 
also  clear  that  the  first  century  of  its  existence  has 
not  produced  that  exposition.  Another  century  may 
clearly  demonstrate  that  such  a  production  is  impos- 
sible, by  showing .  that  the  logical  and  scriptural 
element  is  not  in  the  Arminian  system;  that  the  law 
of  affinity  and  crystallization  is  wanting  to  its  dis- 
jointed   principles;    that   this    theology,    combining 


■Wesley's  conversion  to  arminianism.     413 

many  precious  truths  and  many  capital  errors, 
resembles  a  mingled  mass  of  diamonds  and  fragments 
of  broken  glass  and  pottery,  which  no  plastic  skill  of 
man,  or  power  of  fire,  can  mould  into  one,  transparent, 
unclouded,  many  sided,  equal  sided  crystal,  its  angles 
all  beaming,  and  its  points  all  burning  with  light — a 
Kohinoor  indeed!" 

The  reader  who  may  desire  to  see  the  opinion  of 
one  of  the  most  distinguished  writers  of  the  present 
age,  in  reference  to  the  rapid  spread,  and  permanency 
of  Arrainian  Methodism,  is  referred  to  "Wesley  and 
Methodism,"  by  Isaac  Taylor,  pp.  194 — 197. 


CHAPTER    XIX. 

Wesley's  conversion  to  aeminianism. 

The  reader  of  these  chapters  has  no  doubt  been  sur- 
prised at  seeing  the  amount  of  Calvinism  we  have 
extracted  from  the  writings  of  Mr.  Wesley.  The 
remark  of  Isaac  Taylor  is  undoubtedly  correct,  viz. 
"Everything  for  which  a  Calvinist,  not  of  a  fanatical 
temper,  would  contend,  is  embraced  within  the  com- 
pass of  Wesley's  own  preaching  language,  and  might 
indubitably  be  thence  inferred."*  How  tben,  it  may 
be  asked,  are  we  to  account  for  the  fact,  that  he  was 
so  distinguished  and  zealous  an  Arminian?  I  will 
state  the  only  reason  I  have  ever  seen  assigned, 
together  with  some  reasons  which  seem  to  show  its 
probable  correctness. 

Mr.  Wesley  appears  to  have  been  in  the  habit, 
through  the  greater  part  of  his  ministerial  life,  of 
determining  matters  of  doubt  by  several  kinds  of 
lottery.     This  was,  1.  By  Bibliomancy,  or  consulting 

*  Wesley  and  JVIethodism,  page  62. 

35* 


414  Wesley's  conversion 

the  Bible.  His  plan  (if  I  understood  it)  was,  to  open 
the  Bible  at  random,  and  then  determine  the  question 
at  issue,  by  the  first  passage  that  met  his  eye.  "The 
manner  in  which  some  persons  were  tormented,"  says 
Southey,  "perplexed  him  for  a  time,  and  gave  him 
some  concern.  He  suspected  craziness,  when  impos- 
ture might  have  explained  the  sympathies.  But 
having  recourse  to  Bibliomancy,  to  know  what  would 
be  the  issue  of  these  things,  he  was  satisfied  by  light- 
ing upon  a  text  which  certainly  was  never  more 
unworthily  applied."  "Glory  be  to  God  in  the 
highest,  and  on  earth  peace,  good  will  toward  men." 
Luke  ii.  14.  Thus  deluding  himself,  when  he  was 
sent  for  to  one  of  these  women,  he  prayed  God  to 
bruise  Satan  under  her  feet,  and  the  patient  immedi- 
ately cried  out,  "He  is  gone,  he  is  gone."  And  so  of 
several  other  cases  in  the  same  connection. 

"  Of  one  of  these  he  says,  although  sent  for,  he 
was  unwilling,  indeed,  afraid  to  go,  thinking  it  would 
not  avail  unless  some  who  were  strong  in  the  faith 
would  wrestle  with  God  for  her.  I  opened  my  New 
Testament  on  these  words,  'I  was  afraid,  and  went 
and  hid  thy  talent  in  the  earth.'  Matt,  xxv.  25.  I 
stood  reproved,  and  went  immediately."* 

"A  great  sensation  having  been  produced  at 
Bristol,  by  Whitefield,  Wesley  was  to  come  and  keep 
it  up.  But  he  and  his  brother,  instead  of  taking  the 
matter  into  calm  and  rational  consideration,  had  con- 
sulted the  Bible  upon  the  business,  and  stumbled 
upon  uncomfortable  texts.  The  first  was,  'And  some 
of  them  would  have  taken  him,  but  no  man  laid  hands 
on  him,'  to  which  they  added,  'not  till  the  time  was 
come,'  that  it  might  correspond  with  the  subsequent 
lots.  Another  was,  'Get  thee  up  into  this  mountain, 
and  die  in  the  mount  whither  thou  goest  up,  and  be 
gathered  unto  thy  people.'     The  next  trial  confirmed 

*  Southey's  Life  of  Wesley,  pp.  147,  148. 


TO   ARMINIANISM.  415 

the  impression  which  these  had  made.  'And  the 
chihlren  of  Israel  wept  for  Moses  in  the  plains  of 
Moab,  thirty  days.'  These  verses  were  sufficiently 
ominous,  but  worse  remained  behind.  'I  will  show 
him  how  great  things  he  must  suffer  for  my  name's 
sake.'  And  pushing  the  trial  still  further,  they 
opened  upon  the  burial  of  Stephen.  'Whether,'  says 
Wesley  in  his  journal,  'this  was  permitted,  only  for 
the  trial  of  our  faith,  God  knoweth,  and  the  event 
will  show.'  These  unpropitious  texts  rendered  him 
by  no  means  desirous  of  undertaking  the  journey,  yet 
he  appealed  again  to  the  sacred  oracles,  and  says  his 
journal,  received  an  answer,  as  if  spoken  to  himself, 
and  answered  not  again.  'Son  of  man,  behold  I  take 
from  thee  the  desire  of  thine  eyes  with  a  stroke,  and 
yet  shalt  thou  not  mourn,  nor  weep,  neither  shall  thy 
tears  run  down.'  The  brothers  were  disposed  to  let 
the  matter  rest,  but  the  members  of  the  society  con- 
tinued to  dispute  about  it,  until  to  settle  the  dispute 
they  resorted  to  a  lot.  The  lot  decided  that  Wesley 
should  go.  This  being  decided,  they  opened  the 
Bible  concerning  the  issue,  but  the  passage,  'when 
wicked  men  have  slain  a  righteous  person  in  his  own 
house  upon  his  bed,  shall  I  not  now  require  the  blood 
at  your  hands,  and  take  you  away  from  the  earth  V 
being  still  unfavourable,  they  tried  again.  This  was, 
'Ahaz  slept  with  his  fathers,  and  they  buried  him  in 
the  city,  even  in  Jerusalem.'  This  was  decisive. 
'We  dissuaded  my  brother,'  says  Charles  Wesley, 
'from  going  to  Bristol,  from  an  unaccountable  fear, 
that  it  would  prove  fatal  to  him.  He  offered  himself 
willingly  to  whatsoever  the  Lord  should  appoint. 
The  next  day  he  set  out,  recommended  by  us  to  the 
grace  of  God.  He  left  a  blessing  behind  him.  I 
desired  to  die  with  him."* 

From    this    we    learn,    first,    that    although    Mr. 

•■*  Southey's  Life  of  Wesley,  Vol.  I.  page  148. 


416  Wesley's  conversion 

Wesley  professed  implicit  confidence  in  the  lot,  yet, 
like  Balaam,  when  he  could  not  get  what  he  desired 
by  one  experiment,  he  tried  again.  2.  That  notwith- 
standing the  lots  were  all  one  way,  the  result  was 
exactly  the  contrary;  for  it  does  not  appear  that  he 
received  any  molestation  after  he  went  to  Bristol. 

A  second  kind  of  lottery,  which  he  practised,  was 
to  write  the  yea,  and  nay,  of  a  question,  on  separate 
pieces  of  paper,  put  each  of  these  in  a  hat  or  box, 
and  settle  the  matter  by  whichever  cf  the  pieces  he 
drew  out.  In  Gillies's  Life  of  Whitefield,  two  instan- 
ces of  this  kind  of  lottery  are  related.  The  first  is 
on  pages  26  and  27,  and  is  as  follows: 

"  Whitefield  sailed  from  the  Downs  for  Georgia,  a 
few  hours  only  before  the  vessel  which  brought 
Wesley  back  from  thence,  cast  anchor  there.  The 
ships  passed  in  sight  of  each  other.  When  Wesley 
landed,  he  learned  that  his  coadjutor  was  on  board 
the  vessel  in  the  offing ;  it  was  still  possible  to  com- 
municate with  him;  and  Whitefield  was  not  a  little 
surprised  at  receiving  a  letter  which  contained  these 
words:  'When  I  saw  God,  by  the  wind  which  was 
carrying  you  out,  brought  me  in,  I  asked  counsel  of 
of  God.  His  answer  you  have  enclosed.'  The 
enclosure  was  a  slip  of  paper  with  this  sentence. 
'Let  him  return  to  London.'  Wesley  doubting  from 
his  own  experience,  whether  his  friend  could  be  as 
usefully  employed  in  America  as  in  England,  had 
referred  the  question  to  chance,  in  which,  at  that 
time  he  had  great  confidence,  and  this  was  the  lot  he 
had  drawn." 

The  reader  will  not  fail  to  discover  that  Mr.  Wes- 
ley considered  the  lot  a  divine  revelation.  "I  asked 
counsel  of  God;  his  answer  you  have  enclosed,"  &c. 

The  next  case  related  by  the  same  author,  may  be 
found  on  page  58.  Mr.  Wesley,  it  seems  had  been 
charged  in  a  private  letter  with  "  not  preaching  the 
gospel,  because    he  did   not  preach  the  doctrine  of 


TO   ARMINIANISM.  417 

election.  According  to  his  usual  practice  at  that 
time,  instead  of  consulting  with  his  friends,  or  even 
advising  with  himself  upon  the  prudence  of  engaging 
in  controversy,  he  drew  a  lot  for  his  direction,  and 
the  lot  was  'preach  and  print.'  So  he  preached  a 
sermon  against  the  doctrine,  and  printed  it." 

Here  the  reader  will  not  fail  to  discover  the  same 
implicit  confidence  in  the  lot,  as  a  revelation  from  God. 
The  sermon  alluded  to,  is  on  "Free  Grace."  Each  of 
these  cases  of  lottery  is  succinctly  related  by  White- 
field  in  a  letter  to  Mr.  Wesley,  contained  in  the  same 
book,  pp.  627,  628.  This  letter  is  a  review  of  that 
sermon.  Mr.  Whitefield  says,  "Before  I  enter  upon 
the  discourse  itself,  give  me  leave  to  take  a  little  notice 
of  what,  in  your  preface  you  term  an  indispensable  ob- 
ligation to  make  it  public  to  all  the  world.  I  must  own, 
that  I  always  thought  you  were  quite  mistaken  upon 
that  head.  The  case  (you  know)  stands  thus:  When 
you  were  at  Bristol,  I  think  you  received  a  note  from 
a  private  hand,  charging  you  with  not  preaching  the 
gospel,  because  you  did  not  preach  up  election. 
Upon  this  you  drew  a  lot.  The  answer  was — preach 
and  print.      I  have  often  questioned  whether  in  so 

doing  you  did  not  tempt  the  Lord However 

this  be,  the  lot  came  out — preach  and  print ;  accord- 
ingly you  preached  and  printed  against  election."  .  . 
....  "  The  morning  I  sailed  from  Deal  to  Gibraltar, 
you  arrived  from  Georgia.  Instead  of  giving  me  an 
opportunity  to  converse  with  you,  though  the  ship 
was  not  far  off  the  shore,  you  drew  a  lot,  and  immedi- 
ately set  forward  to  London.  You  left  a  letter  be- 
hind you,  in  which  were  words  to  this  effect:  'When 
I  saw  God,  by  the  wind  which  was  carrying  you  out, 
brought  me  in,  I  asked  counsel  of  God.  His  answer 
you  have  enclosed.'  This  was  a  piece  of  paper  on 
which  were  written   these  words:  'Let  him  return  to 

London.' I  wrote  you  word   that  I  could 

not  return  to  London.    We  sailed  immediately.     Some 


418     Wesley's  conversion  to  arminianism. 

months  after,  I  received  a  letter  from  you  at  Georgia, 
wherein  you  wrote  words  to  this  effect:  'Though 
God  never  before  gave  me  a  wrong  lot,  yet  perhaps 
he  suffered  me  to  have  such  a  lot  at  that  time,  to  try 
what  was  in  your  heart.'  " 

The  third  and  only  other  kind  of  lottery  practised 
by  Mr.  Wesley,  appears  to  have  been  the  toss  of  a 
piece  of  money.  This  brings  up  the  way  in  which  it 
is  charged  upon  him,  that  he  decided  to  be  an  Ar- 
minian.  Thus  in  a  letter  from  the  Rev.  Augustus 
Toplady  to  Mr.  Wesley,  in  1792,  we  meet  with  the 
following,  viz.  "Why  should  you,  of  all  people  in  the 
world,  be  so  very  angry  with  the  doctrines  of  grace? 
Forget  not  the  months  and  days  that  are  past.  Re- 
member that  it  once  depended  on  the  toss  of  a  shilling 
whether  you  yourself  should  be  a  Calvinist  or  an  Ar- 
minian.  Tails  fell  uppermost,  and  you  resolved  to 
be  an  Arminian." 

Here,  then,  is  the  charge  boldly  made.  If  it  has 
ever  been  denied,  the  writer  has  never  met  with  the 
denial,  nor  has  he  ever  heard  of  it.  Mr.  Whitehead, 
the  biographer  of  Mr.  Wesley,  speaking  of  Mr.  Top- 
lady,  says:  "He  assiduously  collected  anecdotes  and 
stories  to  the  prejudice  of  Mr.  Wesley's  character; 
and  not  only  mentioned  them  in  private,  but  commit- 
ted them  to  paper,  and  circulated  them  among  his 
friends."* 

Mr.  Whitehead  here  speaks  of  private  charges  in 
private  letters,  but  although  the  charge  which  we 
adduce  was  published,  Mr.  Whitehead  makes  no  allu- 
sion to  it.  When  charged  with  ill  treatment  of  his 
wife,  his  friends  clear  up  the  charge.f  When  charged 
with  misquoting  authors,  he  himself  flatly  denies  it.Jl 
When  charged  with  forgery  by  Mr.  Toplady,  he  gives 
a   carefully  written  evasive  answer.      Can   any  one 

*  Life  of  Wesley,  page  304. 

f  See  Watson's  Life  of  Wesley,  pp.  187,  &c. 

j  See  Doctriual  Tracts,  page  193. 


REVIEW   OF   FOSTER   ON  CALVINISM.  419 

doubt,  therefore,  that  if  it  had  been  possible  to  evade, 
or  deny  this  charge,  it  would  have  been  done? 

The  ground  then  on  which  the  truthfulness  of  the 
charge  seems  to  depend,  is, 

1.  That  Mr.  Wesley  was  in  the  habit  of  settling 
matters  of  doubt  by  a  lot. 

2.  That  although  he  was  charged  publicly  with 
having  thus  decided  to  be  an  Arminian,  that  charge, 
so  far  as  is  known,  was  never  noticed  or  denied, 
though  other  charges  were.  It  appears  probable, 
therefore,  that  the  charge  is  true.  And  if  true,  as 
with  him  a  lot  was  considered  a  revelation  from  God, 
it  at  once  accounts  for  the  fury  of  his  uncompro- 
mising war  against  Calvinism,  and  for  the  extrava- 
gance of  his  language,  "  Whatever  it  proves  besides, 
no  scripture  can  prove  predestination,"  &c. 


CHAPTER   XX. 


REVIEW   OP    FOSTER    ON    CALVINISM. 

In  this  our  closing  chapter,  we  will  briefly  review  the 
latest  controversial  production  on  the  Arminian  side. 
We  allude  to  a  book  bearing  the  title  of  "  Objections 
to  Calvinism  as  it  is.  In  a  series  of  letters  addressed 
to  the  Rev.  N.  L.  Rice,  D.  D.,  by  the  Rev.  R.  S. 
Foster,  with  an  Appendix,  containing  replies  and  re- 
joinders:  1850."  ♦ 

This  is  decidedly  the  most  sophistical,  heated,  and 
unjust  book  we  have  read  in  this  controversy ;  so  much 
so,  that  if  it  had  not  been  endorsed  with  unusual  com- 
mendation by  the  organs  of  the  Methodist  Church, 
and  circulated  more  freely  perhaps  than  any  Armin- 
ian publication  in  connection  with  the  Calvinistic  con- 


420  REVIEW   OF 

troversy,  it  would  not  have  merited  a  respectful  no- 
tice. Universalism,  or  Infidelity  downright,  is  just 
ahead  of  the  man  who  can  write  so  rashly  of  Deity. 
While  perusing  some  of  his  chapters,  we  could  hardly 
divest  ourselves  of  the  idea  that  we  had  got  hold  of 
the  sermons  of  a  Universalist  preacher.  But  as  we 
intend  to  be  brief  in  our  review,  we  will  not  be  tedious 
in  the  introduction. 

"This  book,"  we  are  told,  "is  the  creature  of  cir- 
cumstances. It  had  never  existed  but  for  reasons  over 
which  the  author  himself  had  no  control.  .  .  He 
made  a  book,  not  with  intention  or  forethought,  but 
almost  before  he  was  aware  of  it,  and  without  any 
purpose  whatever."  Page  13. 

This  is  as  we  would  suppose.  The  book  throughout 
bears  evidence  of  impulse  and  passion  without  reflec- 
tion. The  wonder  is,  that  a  state  of  excitement  high 
enough  to  give  birth  to  such  matter,  should  have  con- 
tinued long  enough  to  bring  it  into  the  form  of  a 
book.     But  the  author  continues, 

"The  Church,  of  which  he  is  a  humble  and  obscure 
minister,  had  been  long  and  grievously  assailed  by  one 
of  the  principal  organs  of  a  sister  denomination — her 
doctrines  and  usages  held  up  to  public  odium,  as  per- 
verted by  the  pen  of  misrepresentation — her  influence 
for  piety  questioned,  and  whatever  was  peculiar  to 
her  organization  ridiculed  and  calumniated.  And  this 
ungenerous  course  was  commenced  and  pursued  by 
an  accredited  champion^  at  a  time  when  peace  and 
Christian  union  had  long  existed — against  remon- 
strances on  our  part,  and  published  deprecations  of 
the  consequences  which  were  certain  to  ensue." 

Of  what  was  published  by  Dr.  Rice,  and  here  re- 
ferred to,  we  cannot  speak,  as  we  never  saw  it,  but  on 
some  points  we  can. 

In  a  letter  from  Dr.  Rice,  dated  October  2d,  1854, 
lie  informs  us,  that  he  settled  in  Cincinnati  in  1844; 
that  in  184r>,  he  became  a  joint  editor  of  the  Preshy- 


FOSTER   ON   CALVINISM.  421 

terian  of  the  Westy  then  under  the  management  of 
the  Sessions  of  the  Old-school  Presbyterian  Churches 
of  that  city ;  and  about  two  years  afterwards  the  sole 
editor;  that  in  1848,  there  appeared  an  editorial 
article  on  "  Church  Membership"  in  the  Western 
Christian  Advocate^  an  organ  of  the  Methodist  Epis- 
copal Church,  containing  incorrect  and  offensive  state- 
ments concerning  the  Presbyterian  Church.  "  This," 
says  Dr.  Rice,  "called  forth  a  series  of  articles  on 
Methodism  from  a  correspondent.  Out  of  this  arti- 
cle, together  with  another  on  the  same  subject,  grew 
my  controversy  with  Dr.  Simpson,  in  which,  so  far  as 
my  articles  are  concerned,  there  was  not  a  word  that 
could  give  offence  to  any  reasonable  Methodist." 
We  leave  the  reader  to  make  his  own  comments. 
Mr.  Foster  says  again,  this  was  done  "  at  a  time 
when  peace  and  Christian  union  had  long  existed," 
&c. 

About  the  time  Dr.  Rice  removed  to  Cincinnati, 
the  Bishop  Andrew  difficulty  commenced  in  the  Me- 
thodist Church,  and  during  that  storm,  the  assaults  on 
Calvinism  which  commenced  with  the  origin  of  Me- 
thodism in  this  country,  were  considerably  abated 
both  in  the  pulpit  and  newspapers.  This  is  the 
"  peace  and  Christian  union  that  had  long  existed." 
Let  any  one  examine  a  file  of  tjje  Christian  Advocate 
and  Journal,  for  any  year  previous  to  that  event,  and 
he  will  find  that  neither  Popery,  Infidelity,  Unitari- 
anism,  Universalism,  nor  all  combined,  received  as 
much  attention  as  Calvinism  alone;  and  this  is  true 
of  the  Methodist  pulpit  also.  But  although  there  was 
an  abatement  of  hostilities  in  the  pulpit  and  newspa- 
pers, there  was  no  abatement  in  the  issue  and  circu- 
lation of  such  tracts  as  "Duplicity  Exposed,"  "Pre- 
destination calmly  considered,"  "Serious  considera- 
tions on  Absolute  Predestination,"  "  Serious  con- 
siderations on  the  Doctrines  of  Election  and  Repro- 
bation," "Free  Grace,"  "The  Consequences  Proved," 
36 


422  REVIEW   OF 

*'  A  Blow  at  the  Root,"  "  A  Dialogue  between  a  Pre- 
(lestinarian  and  his  Friend,"  "Thoughts  on  Imputed 
Righteousness,"  Serious  Thoughts  on  the  Perse- 
verance of  the  Saints,"  &c.  If  then  Dr.  Rice  did 
make  an  assault,  it  was  upon  an  armed  enemj  in  the 
field,  and  doing  all  he  could. 

But  farther,  as  to  "  peace  and  Christian  union," 
this  we  think,  such  as  it  has  been,  is  likely  to  continue 
for  some  time.  Within  our  recollection,  not  a  little 
of  the  stentorian  artillery  of  the  Methodist  pulpit  was 
directed  against  "College  learning,"  and  theological 
preparation  for  the  ministry.  Very  much  of  what  we 
heard  on  these  subjects  in  our  young  days,  we  of 
course  have  forgotten.  One  sentence,  however,  we 
remember.  It  was  from  the  first  Methodist  preacher 
we  ever  heard,  and  ran  thus,  viz. 

"  The  sermon  of  a  learned  man,  is  like  powder  without  ball, 
Just  a  flash  and  that  is  all." 

Now,  as  the  juvenile  patriarchs  and  young  strip- 
lings of  the  present  day  are  creating  such  a  stir  in 
favour  of  Academies,  Colleges,  and  Theological  Semi- 
naries, we  cannot  suppose  the  "old  fogies,"  one  of 
whom  we  heard  call  colleges  "dens  of  vipers,"  are 
going  to  permit  the  innovation  without  a  struggle. 
Calvinists  may  therefore  expect  this  peace  to  be  pro- 
longed. But  it  is  time  to  return  from  this  digression. 
Mr.  Foster  tells  us,  that  "this  ungenerous  course"  of 
Dr.  Rice  "was  pursued  against  remonstrances  on  our 
part,  and  published  deprecations  of  the  consequences." 

"Published  deprecations  of  the  consequences," — 
that  is,  the  production  of  this  book.  '■''Parturiunt 
monies^  naseitur  Hdiculu8  mus" — The  mountains 
are  in  labour,  (and)  a  puny  mouse  is  born. 

He  continues,  "The  object  of  the  author  has  not 
been  to  discuss  fully  the  doctrines  peculiar  to  Cal- 
vinism— not  to  present  the  counter  view  of  Ar- 
minianism — nothing  of  the  kind :  it   was  simply  to 


FOSTER   ON  CALVINISM.  4S& 

present  a  statement  of  Calvinism,  and  objections 
thereto."  Page  14. 

Here  Mr.  Foster  takes  infidel  ground.  Infidels  tell 
us  the  Bible  is  not  true,  but  do  not  tell  us  what  is. 
They  aim  to  put  out  the  light  we  have,  but  give  us 
nothing,  in  its  place.  It  is  worthy  of  remark,  also, 
that  notwithstanding  Calvinists  appeal  constantly  to 
the  Scriptures  in  support  of  their  peculiar  views,  Mr. 
Foster  takes  up  a  third  of  his  book  in  an  effort  to 
refute  what  he  alleges  to  be  their  view  of  the  doctrine 
of  election  and  of  the  divine  decrees,  without  a  single 
quotation  from  the  Bible.  On  page  seventeen  he  tells 
us,  it  is  true,  "  that  it  could  have  been  shown,  as  it 
has  been  triumphantly  many  times,  confining  the 
argument  to  the  Scripture  limits,  that  Calvinism  is 
not  taught  therein,  and  that  an  opposite  system 
is;"  but  as  the  reader  of  this  work  has  seen  some- 
thing of  the  torturing  and  twisting  and  lopping  and 
splicing  the  word  of  God  has  received,  in  making  out 
these  triumphant  exhibitions,  he  will  not  be  greatly 
scared  at  the  declaration. 

"Our  main  object,"  he  continues,  "was  to  show 
that  consequences  so  revolting,  inevitably  result  from 
it,  as  to  prove  him  guilty  of  blasphemy  who  charges 
it  upon  the  word  of  God;  or  rather  to  make  it  im- 
possible for  any  one  to  believe  anything  so  dread- 
ful." 

Here  our  author  takes  Universalist  ground.  The 
"object"  of  the  Universalist  is  "to  show  that  conse- 
quences so  revolting,  inevitably  result  from"  the  idea 
that  a  merciful  God  will  punish  any  of  his  creatures 
for  ever  "as  prove  him  guilty  of  blasphemy  who 
charges  it  upon  the  word  of  God,"  and  hence  the  nu- 
merous passages  that  do  most  explicitly  teach  that 
he  will  so  punish  them,  are  tortured  to  make  them 
teach  something  else. 

But  let  us  hear  what  Mr.  Foster  says  of  these  same 
blasphemers.     "  Toward  the  Presbyterian  Church  I 


424  REVIEW   OF 

have  cherished  sentiments  of  the  profoundest  attach- 
ment from  ray  boyhood.  These  sentiments  have 
grown  up  with  me  to  manhood — they  remain  to  this 
hour,  despite  of  her  errors.  I  here  record  my  firm 
persuasion  that  she  has  many  surpassing  excellencies 
— many  which  my  own  Church  may  well  and  wisely 
emulate."  Pages  15,  16. 

According  to  Mr.  Foster,  therefore,  "blasphemy" 
has,  in  many  respects,  a  much  better  effect  than  truth. 

He  continues,  "It  is  assumed  that  what  is  logically 
false  cannot  be  scripturally  true ;  and  therefore,  that 
by  involving  Calvinism  in  logical  dilemmas  it  is  over- 
thrown and  proved  to  be  unscriptural,  as  the  Scrip- 
tures cannot  teach  what  is  logically  untrue,  or  teaching 

it,  it  teaches  what  is  false  and  contradictory 

Whoever,  therefore,  derives  a  system  from  the  Bible 
which  is  false,  and  demonstrably  so  to  human  rea- 
son, by  the  process  of  conclusive  logic,  either  derives 
from  the  Bible  what  it  does  not  authorize,  or  he 
proves  it  false ;  in  other  words,  he  is  mistaken,  or  the 
Bible  is  not  true."  Page  17. 

Here  Mr.  Foster  takes  Unitarian  ground.  Unita- 
rians "assume"  that  the  doctrine  of  the  Trinity  is 
logically  and  mathematically  absurd,  and  therefore, 
that  it  cannot  be  derived  from  the  Bible;  or  being 
derived  therefrom,  the  Bible  is  not  the  word  of  God. 
Trinitarians  contend  on  the  contrary,  that  it  is  taught 
in  the  Bible,  and  though  incomprehensible  to  man,  is 
neither  logically  nor  mathematically  untrue. 

Here,  then,  is  a  champion  for  Arminianism,  who, 
in  his  battles  against  Calvinism,  thinks  he  gains  great 
advantage  by  occupying  the  ground  of  infidels,  Uni- 
versalists,  and  Unitarians,  the  systems  of  every  one 
of  which  he  admits  to  be  false.  Does  the  defence  of 
truth  require  this?  In  reference  to  the  Unitarian 
ground,  it  may  not  be  amiss  to  remark  that  he  fol- 
lows in  the  footsteps  of  an  illustrious  predecessor. 

As  to  Calvinism  being  logically  false,  the  great  and 


FOSTER   ON   CALVINISM.  425 

good  Robert  Hall  of  England,  has  said,  "If  any  man 
says  he  is  an  Arminian,  the  inference  is,  he  is  not  a 
good  logician."*  It  is  to  be  remembered,  however, 
that  the  shadow  of  Mr.  Foster,  in  Mr.  Foster's  esti- 
mation, hides  all  such  men  as  Robert  Hall  in  impene- 
trable darkness. 

But  to  return :  "  The  object  of  the  author  has  not 
been  to  present  the  counterview  of  Arminianism."  O 
no!  "nothing  of  the  kind."  ^^ Hie  labor,  hoc  opus 
est."  This  is  labour,  this  is  work.  Having  tried  our 
hand,  we  know  what  it  is.  In  the  Appendix,  Mr. 
Foster  vauntingly  tells  us,  Dr.  Rice  would  not  take  up 
the  gauntlet  he,  Mr.  F.,  had  thrown  down.  Some- 
times an  animal  that  is  very  courageous  when  there 
is  a  fence  between  him  and  his  antagonist,  becomes 
very  peaceful  when  a  gap  is  opened.  Any  one  ac- 
quainted with  the  "Campbell-killer"  knows,  that  in 
theological  warfare  he  is  a  man  of  chivalry;  but  no 
man  of  sense,  however  chivalrous,  would  go  out  into 
the  open  plain,  merely  to  receive  the  fire  of  an  anta- 
gonist who  shoots  from  behind  a  tree.  The  impartial 
pursuit  of  truth  is  not  compatible  with  an  examina- 
tion of  one  side  only,  of  a  disputed  question.  Ac- 
cordingly Dr.  Rice,  in  one  of  the  brief  notices  he  takes 
of  Mr.  Foster's  performance,  says:  "  There  is  another 
great  defect  in  these  letters.  The  real  points  of  dif- 
ference between  Methodists  and  Presbyterians  are  not 
stated."  "  The  very  first  thing  necessary  to  a  satis- 
factory discussion  of  this  subject,  is  a  clear  statement 
of  the  difference  between  the  faith  of  Methodists  and 
Presbyterians,  "t 

Added  to  this,  Dr.  Rice,  in  addition  to  his  editorial 
and  pastoral  duties,  was  engaged  in  a  controversy 
with  "Dr.  Simpson,"  one  of  Mr.  Foster's  brethren. J 

But  notwithstanding  all  this,  Mr.  Foster  at  this 

*  Works,  Vol.  III.  page  35.  f  Appendix,  page  248. 

X  Appendix,  page  268. 

3G* 


426  KEVIEW   OF 

juncture  fired  at  him  from  behind  a  tree,  and  then 
exulted  that  the  doctor  declined  a  contest.  Courage- 
ous man !  your  valour  is  equal  to  your  ability,  and 
that,  in  your  estimation,  surpasses  anything  we  have 
words  to  express. 

On  page  nineteen  he  says,  "  The  reference  made  to 
authors  in  quotation,  has,  in  every  instance,  with  a 
few  exceptions,  been  taken  by  the  writer  himself  di- 
rectly from  them,  and  to  those  who  cannot  examine 
for  themselves,  he  insures  their  correctness.  Those 
charged  to  Piscator  and  Twisse,  are  taken  from  Mr. 
Wesley,  but  their  correctness  is  not  questioned."* 

But  the  "correctness  of  the  quotations  charged  by 
Mr.  Wesley  upon  Piscator,  and  Twisse,"  and  several 
others  here  adduced,  is  questioned.  It  was  questioned 
then,  and  it  is  questioned  now.  Mr.  Wesley,  refer- 
ring to  these  very  quotations,  says,  in  his  "  Dialogue 
between  a  Predestinarian  and  his  Friend,"  "  to  all 
predestinarians,"  "  I  am  informed  some  of  you  have 
said  that  the  following  quotations  are  false ;  that  these 
words  were  not  spoken  by  these  authors;  others,  that 
they  were  not  spoken  in  this  sense;  and  others,  that 
neither  you  yourself,  nor  any  true  predestinarian  ever 
did,  or  ever  would  speak  so."t 

Added  to  this.  Dr.  Rice  says,  "  It  is  easy  for  one 
w^ho  takes  up  a  doctrine  without  understanding  it,  to 
make  quotations  from  writers,  so  partial,  or  so  com- 
pletely severed  from  explanations  and  qualifications 
given,  as  entirely  to  misrepresent  them.  This  Mr. 
Foster  has  done — we  do  not  say  intentionally."| 

Added  to  this,  any  one  who  will  take  the  trouble 
of  reading  the  appendix  to  "Annan's  difficulties  of 
Arminian  Methodism,"  where  their  falsity  is  shown, 
will  be  astonished  that  they  should  ever  be  appealed 
to  as  authority.     (Of  course,  we  do  not  refer  to  those 

*  Appendix,  page  268.  f  Doctrinal  Tracts,  page  193. 

X  Appendix,  pp.  269,  270. 


FOSTER   ON   CALVINISM. 

"taken  by  the  writer  himself  directly  from  authors.") 
Added  to  this,  a  number  of  the  writers  referred  to 
were  Episcopalians,  in  the  same  communion  with  Mr. 
Wesley,  and  yet  their  writings  are  quoted  by  Mr. 
Foster  against  the  Presbyterians. 

But  again,  in  quoting  authorities,  in  controversy 
especially,  it  is  usual  to  give  the  name  of  the  book, 
the  volume,  and  page  or  chapter,  so  that  all  concerned 
may  be  able  to  examine  for  themselves.  We  will  here 
give  two  examples  of  the  way  in  which  Mr.  Foster 
gives  no  inconsiderable  number  of  the  quotations  in 
his  book — they  may  be  found  on  page  37,  and  are  as 
follows,  viz.  "Neither  does  God  only  excite  and  pre- 
destinate the  will  of  men  to  vicious  actions,  so  far  as 
they  are  actions,  but  he  likewise  so  excites  it,  that  it  is 
not  possible,  but  thus  acted  upon,  it  shall  act."* 

"Moreover,  as  a  second  cause  cannot  act,  unless 
acted  upon,  and  previously  moved  to  act,  by  the  pre- 
determining influence  of  the  first,  so,  in  like  man- 
ner, that  influence  of  the  first  cause  is  so  efficacious, 
as  that,  supposing  it,   the  second   cause  cannot  but 

act."t 

Now,  as  Mr.  Foster  "insures"  the  correctness  of  his 
quotations,  we  must  not  call  them  in  question.  But 
Witsius  wrote  extensively.  His  principal  works  are 
contained  in  five  considerable  volumes.  His  other 
works  are,  "  The  Economy  of  the  Covenants,"  "Dis- 
sertations on  the  Apostles'  Creed,"  "Egyptiaca,  et 
Decaphylon,"  "Canon  Chronicus,"  "De  Legibus 
Hebrseorum." 

Here  then,  is  a  controversialist  insuring  the  cor- 
rectness of  his  quotations,  yet  does  not  tell  in  which 
volume  or  chapter,  or  on  what  page  of  ten  volumes 
his  quotations  may  be  found.  In  short,  he  omits 
everything  by  which  they  may  be  found,  except  the 
name  of  the  reputed  author.     The  reader  who,  like 

*  Witsius.  f  Witsius. 


428  KEVIEW   OF 

ourselves,  has  seen  the  way  in  which  Arminians  have 
quoted  Calvinistic  authorities,  would  be  glad  of  an  op- 
portunity to  examine  such  quotations  as  are  here 
given,  but,  alas!  they  "are  hid  from  our  eyes." 

The  "objections"  Mr.  Foster  urges,  are  nearly  all 
such  as  have  been  already  considered;  we  will  there- 
fore pass  them  over. 

The  "Introduction"  to  the  book  under  review,  was 
written  by  a  Mr.  Simpson.  In  it  we  meet  with  the 
following,  viz.    "In  the  days  of  Wesley  a  strong  effort 

was  made  to  suppress  Arminian  views But 

though  the  spirit  of  the  Synod  of  Dort  was  aroused, 
the  civil  power  to  punish  could  not  be  employed. 
Mr.  Wesley  continued  to  preach,  and  Mr.  Fletcher  in 
his  defence,  issued  those  masterly  Checks  which  dis- 
played at  once  his  superior  genius,  and  the  strength 
of  the  cause  which  he  had  espoused."  Page  9. 

In  reference  to  these  "masterly  Checks"  of  Mr. 
Fletcher,  "which  displayed  at  once  his  superior  ge- 
nius, and  the  strength  of  the  cause  he  had  espoused," 
it  may  be  well  to  hear  Mr.  Fletcher  himself.  Writing 
to  Mr.  Wesley  in  1776,  he  says:  "What  has  made 
me  glut  our  friends  with  my  books,  is  not  a  love  to 
such  publications,  but  a  desire  to  make  an  end  of  the 
controversy.  It  is  probable  my  design  has  miscar- 
ried; and  that  I  have  disgusted  rather  than  convinced 
the  people."* 

If,  then,  these  Checks  were  so  little  esteemed,  on 
their  first  appearance,  that  they  "disgusted  rather 
than  convinced  the  people,"  and  are  so  little  valued 
now,  that  they  are  among  the  very  rare  books  to  be 
met  with  in  the  library  of  a  Methodist  preacher,  they 
do  not  appear  to  have  been  considered  so  "masterly" 
after  all. 

That  we  may  be  able  to  understand  the  state  of 
things  alluded  to,  it  is  proper  to  remark,  that  some 

*  Whitehead's  Life  of  Wesley,  page  223. 


FOSTER   ON   CALVINISM.  429 

time  after  Methodist  societies  were  formed  in  England, 
they  were  in  many  respects  strongly  Calvinistic:  and 
the  Minutes  of  the  Conferences  had  a  strong  savour 
of  Calvinism.  But  when  Arminianism  began  to  pre- 
vail, it  led  to  the  modification  of  the  minutes.* 

In  the  minutes  of  the  Conference  of  1770,  we  find 
the  following,  viz.  "We  said  in  1744,  'we  have 
leaned  too  much  toward  Calvinism.  Wherein,'  "  &c. 
They  then  go  on  to  modify. f 

Now,  this  modification  of  the  minutes  brought  on 
an  explosion  between  the  Calvinists  and  the  Armin- 
ians,  which  explosion  finally  brought  out  Mr.  Fletcher 
on  the  Arminian  side.  Mr.  Whitehead,  in  referring 
to  the  changes  by  the  Conference,  says,  "It  appears 
to  me  that  the  propositions  as  they  stand  in  the  min- 
utes in  short  sentences,  without  explanation,  have  a 
very  suspicious  appearance.  The  expressions  are  too 
ambiguous,  and  might  easily  have  been  exchanged 
for  others  more  clear,  and  less  liable  to  give  offence. 
I  cannot,  therefore,  commend  either  the  wisdom  or 
the  prudence  that  dictated  them,  notwithstanding  the 
abilities  of  a  Fletcher  could  make  them  speak  clearly 
and  explicitly,  the  language  oi  free  grace." X 

The  reader  who  may  desire  to  see  a  full  account  of 
what  followed  the  modification  referred  to,  (and  which 
is  anything  but  to  the  credit  of  Mr.  Wesley)  is 
referred  to  the  "  Life  and  Times  of  the  Countess  of 
Huntingdon,"  Vol.  II.  Chap,  xxxix. 

Finally,  strange  as  it  may  appear,  Mr.  Foster  pays 
to  Calvinism  a  high  compliment.  "Whatever  else 
may  be  said  of  Calvinism,"  says  he,  "it  must  be  ad- 
mitted that  it  is  a  complete  system.  If  their  view 
of  election  is  true,  this  (the  final  perseverance  of  the 
saints)  is  consequently  true.     If  their  doctrine  of  the 

*  See  Whitehead's  Life  of  Wesley,  page  193.      f  Ibid,  page  210. 
J  Life  of  Wesley,  page  216. 


430  REVIEW   OF   FOSTER   ON   CALVINISM. 

atonement  is  true,  this  cannot  be  false.  If  their  doc- 
trine of  effectual  grace  is  true,  this  must  follow."* 

Here,  then,  is  admitted,  by  a  most  uncompromising 
Arminian,  what  every  Calvinist  believes,  viz.  that 
"Calvinism  is  a  complete  system."  Just  at  this 
point,  however,  we  find  ourselves  in  a  dilemma.  We 
cannot  return  the  compliment.  For  "  whatever  else 
may  be  said  of"  Arminianism,  it  is  not  a  system. 

But  we  are  done.  If  our  labours  shall  result  in 
clearing  up  diflBculties,  connected  with  controverted 
questions — in  removing  erroneous  impressions  in 
reference  to  revealed  truth,  and  thus  tend  to  confirm 
the  faith  of  the  people  of  God,  the  great  object  we 
have  had  in  view,  will  be  attained.  For  this  end  we 
submit  our  book  to  the  public  and  to  the  superintend- 
ing care  of  a  gracious  Providence. 

*  Objections  to  Calvinism,  pp.  174,  178. 


THE  END. 


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